Morning session.
Really was just not interested in taking this pot with 77. No idea what people were hanging around with after I pounded the turn with a min bet. I should have bet the riv for value.
I pot it UTG with KdQs and cbet an A high flop, one caller. J on the turn straightens me out and two pairs the caller. That's what you get for calling when you were ahead on the flop when I stabbed with my gutter chasing K high bet on the flop!
I don't mind picking up AA. I would prefer them to be in LP but oh well. I pot it UTG (do you people know what raising the pot UTG means!?) and get five freaking callers. Flop is single suited. A pot sized bet and a fold ahead of me, three to act behind me. That is not a very friendly flop for two black AA. I think of shoving momentarily but decide to pick a different spot. Shove behind me with second nut flush which holds.
BB special 6c5s flops bottom pair, yawn. Checks around. I'm mentally checked out of this hand now and instinctively check the turn because I am invested in other tables. But there is a stab from LP to open the door for me to check raise, call. Hmmmm. 6h on the riv fills me up and completes the flush I assume he is on so I shove hoping to get paid. Nope. I guess maybe he was straight drawing.
Forgot to check what this guy had right after the hand but somehow I think my QhTh sucked out on him by the speed of his call.
Classic error. I have 99 and see the straight before I see the flush. I pot it and am scurrying around looking for the undo button. No such luck and I am called down by second nut low flush and the guy that slow played his flopped set into the ground. They should have all suits be a different color so it is easier to see flushes...oh wait.
Oy. One of those hands. I pot it with KcQc after it limps around. Four(!) callers willing to invest 6 more BB after limping! Min bet, call, min-raise, fold, and I'm going to the mat with this so I shove. Everyone calls. I'm up against another KQ, flush draw, and flopped broadway. C'mon runner runner straight with no diamonds or one of the four boat outs that me and the other KQ have. K on the river and the other KQ and I chop. JT is sure online poker is rigged and I can't disagree.
Not bad overall. Couldn't steal as much at these tables due to the composition of the players. One bad hand with running my straight into the flush. Other than that one I got caught cbetting too much and that cost me but overall a session with a bunch of good decisions. A buy in and a half of sugar takes me up to $88.79.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Giving up ground again
Grueling session. Slipped a little here and there because I let myself play tired so I was pressing a little.
AdJd properly valued.
Worst hand of the session. Speculating with 7dTd and got roped into stupid min raise shenanigans with two donks. I can finally cap it at .12 and I'm sitting there asking myself how I got in this mess and what flop I could possibly want...oh how about top pair T and four to the flush? Sure that will work. A stab in front of me and I pot it up to .52. Donkey boy calls with Ad8c for one over and Jasonland flush and straight draws. A on the turn and I pour my money in after I'm behind but still have 14 outs all of which whiff on the river. Bleck.
AJ rivers broadway and gives villain two pari. Flush possible but I should have bumped more on the end I think.
Delayed semi-bluff after calling cbet. Him tripping up would have been the best card possible for my KsQs.
More expert play calling down min bets to both of us playing the board. At least it was free of Cake tax.
BB special Tc5c flops top and bottom and drags down a short stacked QT in the process.
Really? I see a "free" flop with Jd9d when I post a BB for sitting down. Flop a flush and it's no good. I had my chance to fold when I got min-raised on the turn when the board paired but I'm full speed ahead. Welcome to the table. Reload.
Get two all ins from loose aggros and my AsKs has both of them dominated plus I'm the only one suited as well. Cannot fade their collective six outs. Have them both covered the one who caught had to be the one with the bigger stack too. Yuck. That's enough for now, time to leave the tables and take a break.
301 hands and drop about two buys down to $85.28.
AdJd properly valued.
Worst hand of the session. Speculating with 7dTd and got roped into stupid min raise shenanigans with two donks. I can finally cap it at .12 and I'm sitting there asking myself how I got in this mess and what flop I could possibly want...oh how about top pair T and four to the flush? Sure that will work. A stab in front of me and I pot it up to .52. Donkey boy calls with Ad8c for one over and Jasonland flush and straight draws. A on the turn and I pour my money in after I'm behind but still have 14 outs all of which whiff on the river. Bleck.
AJ rivers broadway and gives villain two pari. Flush possible but I should have bumped more on the end I think.
Delayed semi-bluff after calling cbet. Him tripping up would have been the best card possible for my KsQs.
More expert play calling down min bets to both of us playing the board. At least it was free of Cake tax.
BB special Tc5c flops top and bottom and drags down a short stacked QT in the process.
Really? I see a "free" flop with Jd9d when I post a BB for sitting down. Flop a flush and it's no good. I had my chance to fold when I got min-raised on the turn when the board paired but I'm full speed ahead. Welcome to the table. Reload.
Get two all ins from loose aggros and my AsKs has both of them dominated plus I'm the only one suited as well. Cannot fade their collective six outs. Have them both covered the one who caught had to be the one with the bigger stack too. Yuck. That's enough for now, time to leave the tables and take a break.
301 hands and drop about two buys down to $85.28.
Back up into the 90s
Been taking it on the chin a bit lately. Sit down wanting to get back into 90s territory. Part way through I realize that I shouldn't really be too goal oriented other than to make the most right decisions possible. I think you can really screw yourself if you end up trying to press to get to a certain number. Nonetheless, the cards fell my way enough in the end to get me over the hump.
QJ OESD hits and implied odds compensate for paying a little too much on the flop.
Snowmans see a 99T flop. Good and bad. I could be ahead so I throw out a min probe bet to see if anyone is interested and I hope no one has a 9. Two callers. Not a lot of cards that I'll be happy with on such a draw heavy flop...oh well hello Mr. Snowman on the turn. Now I *want* someone to have a 9 as long as they dodge their side card. I think about it a little and decide that I'm paying off TT or T9 here so it's time to pump the pot. Bet/raise/re/shove. After the board completes a potential straight, K9 decides he wants to get money in the pot now. Nice slow play on the flop buddy.
I played AJ so strong here. I should have raised the riv for value but the pot was already SO huge that I was happy flat calling my monstrous A high.
Not sure how much to value this one on the end when BB 5c7c rivers the likely nuts. Keep both in or try to get more from one?
OESFD gets there...not THERE but there enough. I also had Jason outs to quads so I'm quite confortable with my call on the flop.
Knew he caught his A on the turn and I was going to flatten him with my A4 two purr.
Another marginal sitch. I've got Ac3c, flop top and bottom pair on a single suited board and feel that I'm ahead so I pop it but am ready to let go if I get any action. I am not crazy about the crowded hand but I also figure that it is likely that everyone had a spade which gives me more odds of not getting sucked out. Spade on the riv and KsTh rakes "my" pot. That one stung a bit because I made a correct gutty action and still lost a pot that would have put me over 90 for the session. But I remind myself again not to be too target oriented for the session.
Another odd hand. I have KT and flop two pair on T44 flop. Bet ahead of me and I min raise in position to try to figure out where I'm at. Flat call. I guess I should have three bet for more info. Turn is a 5, connector to the 4. Check to me. Hmmmm. OK. I'll see a free card. River is a K, enough to sell me that I am now more ahead (which I marginally am) so I call the .12 on the riv to find out the my three pair are losing to AA (limped!) for a higher two pair.
This is how it is *suposed* to work. My AA vs KK vs TT. That a nice way to cap off a pretty long session so I shut down my tables.
261 hands. Left the tables up $4.48 and am now at $90.08.
QJ OESD hits and implied odds compensate for paying a little too much on the flop.
Snowmans see a 99T flop. Good and bad. I could be ahead so I throw out a min probe bet to see if anyone is interested and I hope no one has a 9. Two callers. Not a lot of cards that I'll be happy with on such a draw heavy flop...oh well hello Mr. Snowman on the turn. Now I *want* someone to have a 9 as long as they dodge their side card. I think about it a little and decide that I'm paying off TT or T9 here so it's time to pump the pot. Bet/raise/re/shove. After the board completes a potential straight, K9 decides he wants to get money in the pot now. Nice slow play on the flop buddy.
I played AJ so strong here. I should have raised the riv for value but the pot was already SO huge that I was happy flat calling my monstrous A high.
Not sure how much to value this one on the end when BB 5c7c rivers the likely nuts. Keep both in or try to get more from one?
OESFD gets there...not THERE but there enough. I also had Jason outs to quads so I'm quite confortable with my call on the flop.
Knew he caught his A on the turn and I was going to flatten him with my A4 two purr.
Another marginal sitch. I've got Ac3c, flop top and bottom pair on a single suited board and feel that I'm ahead so I pop it but am ready to let go if I get any action. I am not crazy about the crowded hand but I also figure that it is likely that everyone had a spade which gives me more odds of not getting sucked out. Spade on the riv and KsTh rakes "my" pot. That one stung a bit because I made a correct gutty action and still lost a pot that would have put me over 90 for the session. But I remind myself again not to be too target oriented for the session.
Another odd hand. I have KT and flop two pair on T44 flop. Bet ahead of me and I min raise in position to try to figure out where I'm at. Flat call. I guess I should have three bet for more info. Turn is a 5, connector to the 4. Check to me. Hmmmm. OK. I'll see a free card. River is a K, enough to sell me that I am now more ahead (which I marginally am) so I call the .12 on the riv to find out the my three pair are losing to AA (limped!) for a higher two pair.
This is how it is *suposed* to work. My AA vs KK vs TT. That a nice way to cap off a pretty long session so I shut down my tables.
261 hands. Left the tables up $4.48 and am now at $90.08.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Dropping down again
Only two tables running tonight.
Limp in with AsTs. I flop top pair A with the nut flush draw as well. I flat call a min stab and a call behind me. Second A peels off on the turn and a second stab then I pot it and get raised behind me. Last time this happened I calculated the range of what I'm up against as any A. I'm beating the marjority and I discount premium A's due to no raise pre. Unless he has boated up I have flush outs so I push and get the bad news that he limped with AK with Ks to boot. River is a blank. Reload.
Hmmm. Same hand AsTs. I pay min bet to chase a gutter and properly value it on the end to receive proper implied odds for the 4 cents on the flop.
Yeah J-Trey...soooted! Maximum value bet extraction from this donk who calls off four on a paired three to the flush board.
TP(Q)TK AQ no good against top set. Paid him off in full.
Hand caught in cookie jar on this one. Qs6s in SB. Flop second nut flush draw and figure I can steal so I pot it, call, call. Turn is a blank so I pot it againt and get a min raise now, fold behind and it's back to me. I am actually now in a better spot than with top pair because I'm almost certainly drawing live. I get too lazy to figure pot odds (I was short btw) and call the min. Blank on the riv and I'm outta there.
Down to 85.20 now. Correctly assessed the second table I was at as being risk averse and stole quite a bit in blinds and limps.
Limp in with AsTs. I flop top pair A with the nut flush draw as well. I flat call a min stab and a call behind me. Second A peels off on the turn and a second stab then I pot it and get raised behind me. Last time this happened I calculated the range of what I'm up against as any A. I'm beating the marjority and I discount premium A's due to no raise pre. Unless he has boated up I have flush outs so I push and get the bad news that he limped with AK with Ks to boot. River is a blank. Reload.
Hmmm. Same hand AsTs. I pay min bet to chase a gutter and properly value it on the end to receive proper implied odds for the 4 cents on the flop.
Yeah J-Trey...soooted! Maximum value bet extraction from this donk who calls off four on a paired three to the flush board.
TP(Q)TK AQ no good against top set. Paid him off in full.
Hand caught in cookie jar on this one. Qs6s in SB. Flop second nut flush draw and figure I can steal so I pot it, call, call. Turn is a blank so I pot it againt and get a min raise now, fold behind and it's back to me. I am actually now in a better spot than with top pair because I'm almost certainly drawing live. I get too lazy to figure pot odds (I was short btw) and call the min. Blank on the riv and I'm outta there.
Down to 85.20 now. Correctly assessed the second table I was at as being risk averse and stole quite a bit in blinds and limps.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Nothing brewing
Only one full table running. Sat down and folded. Limped in here or there. Tried two turbo tables too but the action was not to my liking. Makes sense that players at shorthanded tables are going to be driving the action more than ten handed. Seemed like more raised pots and more stabs. Anyway, decided that I was more suited to full tables so I left the turbos after a few hands. Single full table was too slow for me so I took off.
38 hands. Down a buck to $89.67.
38 hands. Down a buck to $89.67.
Stuck in the 90s
Once again getting denied from crossing the century mark.
A(K) high good. Check check on the flop. Figured my AK was good on the turn so I bet it after it is checked to me, call. Huh? Checked to me once more and it seems like a "missed" check more than a "slow play" check. Pretty sure I'm good but also figure that there's no reason to bet it. Take it down.
AdQd and I miss the flop but get priced in with a min-bet to chase. A comes on the turn and I pot it. The guy shoves and I feel like I've been trapped so I toss in the rest of my stack and confirm that I am indeed beat but not as bad off as I could be. Any A, any Q, any J, or any Deuce pulls the steak out of the fire. Blank on the river and now I understand one of the reasons for the min-bet pattern. Noted. But the next time that cheap turn card is going to fill my straight instead.
Ah6d, another hand I got stuck with in the BB. I'm in position in a limped pot and I pot the flop to announce that I have an A, call. Turn gives me an OESD to go along with top pair and I check behind for a free card. Board pairs 7s which actually only hurts my kicker issue. He pots it on the riv and I decide he was on a busted flush draw and raise him on the river instead of folding or flat calling. He shoves and I'm committed to pay off his boat. Did I mention this was an unraised pot?
Got him right where I want him. QQ is going to pay off my KK. Gutter on the riv and I'm stacked. Oh well. I sucked out with my QQ vs KK the other day. The odds all equal out.
74 hands. Down $6.65 to bring me down to scraping the bottom of the 90 buck range at $90.67.
A(K) high good. Check check on the flop. Figured my AK was good on the turn so I bet it after it is checked to me, call. Huh? Checked to me once more and it seems like a "missed" check more than a "slow play" check. Pretty sure I'm good but also figure that there's no reason to bet it. Take it down.
AdQd and I miss the flop but get priced in with a min-bet to chase. A comes on the turn and I pot it. The guy shoves and I feel like I've been trapped so I toss in the rest of my stack and confirm that I am indeed beat but not as bad off as I could be. Any A, any Q, any J, or any Deuce pulls the steak out of the fire. Blank on the river and now I understand one of the reasons for the min-bet pattern. Noted. But the next time that cheap turn card is going to fill my straight instead.
Ah6d, another hand I got stuck with in the BB. I'm in position in a limped pot and I pot the flop to announce that I have an A, call. Turn gives me an OESD to go along with top pair and I check behind for a free card. Board pairs 7s which actually only hurts my kicker issue. He pots it on the riv and I decide he was on a busted flush draw and raise him on the river instead of folding or flat calling. He shoves and I'm committed to pay off his boat. Did I mention this was an unraised pot?
Got him right where I want him. QQ is going to pay off my KK. Gutter on the riv and I'm stacked. Oh well. I sucked out with my QQ vs KK the other day. The odds all equal out.
74 hands. Down $6.65 to bring me down to scraping the bottom of the 90 buck range at $90.67.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
More stocking stuffers
Waiting for presents to be opened. Four tables and I only sit down for 8 hands before I stack two players with my QQ. Even though I was a dog to KK I caught up after he slowplayed those cowboys into second place by open shoving when the betting first got to him. I sure showed him a lesson! Online poker is soooo rigged.
That's it. Big score and I'm outta there.
$3.73 to the good and that's a new high of $97.32.
That's it. Big score and I'm outta there.
$3.73 to the good and that's a new high of $97.32.
A few quarters in the Xmas stocking
A little morning session before heading off to the folks place. Four tables.
What was I doing here? QsJs and I check the flop because of my kicker? Then the flush gets there and THEN I decide to put money in? I thought the 1/2 pot bet looked stabby or looking for another club so I called pretty sure I was ahead still. Blank on the river and I lead out, he mucks. Fumble on the flop but was recovered and got some yardage out of it as well.
7T suited, one of my lucky hands and I get it for free. I flop middle and turn two so I bet and take it down. One card straight out there so I'm not going to the mat or anything but I don't want to give a free card here.
Misplayed QQ here. I pot it pre-flop with QQ and drag along two short stacks in the blinds. All I'm thinking is "no A, no A" and sure enough A flops. Check, check to me. I don't like it but I make a half pot stab. Fold then a shove for .36 more on top of the .42 stab. Begrudgingly call and pay off AT. Better options: check behind and set mine, min bet to open the door and then fold, shove to rep AK if I'm going to pay him off fully anyway. I definitely felt beat but paid him off anyway. No real semibluff to speak of on that flop. His stack was just the right size too. Any shorter and he doesn't make as much, any more and I'm not paying it.
Interesting hand here. I'm dealt AKos and pot it. Flop is K high but I don't like the T next to it. There is a hesitation check and I don't like it but I am stuck in a weird spot. Even if I am behind I don't feel like I can fold here. I decide that I cannot get away from this hand and shove it all in. Insta-call from KT top two as I feared but I know my superior starting hand gives me counterfeit outs but they don't come. Reload. What to do, check behind? Pot it? If he flat calls then he could be on either a flush draw or OESD or slow playing his two pair. If he check raises me then that could be a semi bluff or a KQ, KJ etc. I would have a hard time trusting my read enough that I could get away from this and just had to go with the odds that in most cases at these stakes I'm ahead. Maybe if a third diamond came out then it would freeze us both and I could see a cheaper showdown. Bahhh. Weird hand.
Pretty card dead. Folding a ton of hands today.
Pre-flop and there are two blinds and three limpers ahead of me so I execute an info-shove to see if anyone has my AA beat. Ummm...nope. But a couple of ducks come along for the ride figuring that he is at best even money or a 4:1 dog plus totally counterfeitable if the board double pairs. Thanks!
$1.31 from 139 hands to bring me back up to $93.59 and a few bucks shy of the high water mark.
What was I doing here? QsJs and I check the flop because of my kicker? Then the flush gets there and THEN I decide to put money in? I thought the 1/2 pot bet looked stabby or looking for another club so I called pretty sure I was ahead still. Blank on the river and I lead out, he mucks. Fumble on the flop but was recovered and got some yardage out of it as well.
7T suited, one of my lucky hands and I get it for free. I flop middle and turn two so I bet and take it down. One card straight out there so I'm not going to the mat or anything but I don't want to give a free card here.
Misplayed QQ here. I pot it pre-flop with QQ and drag along two short stacks in the blinds. All I'm thinking is "no A, no A" and sure enough A flops. Check, check to me. I don't like it but I make a half pot stab. Fold then a shove for .36 more on top of the .42 stab. Begrudgingly call and pay off AT. Better options: check behind and set mine, min bet to open the door and then fold, shove to rep AK if I'm going to pay him off fully anyway. I definitely felt beat but paid him off anyway. No real semibluff to speak of on that flop. His stack was just the right size too. Any shorter and he doesn't make as much, any more and I'm not paying it.
Interesting hand here. I'm dealt AKos and pot it. Flop is K high but I don't like the T next to it. There is a hesitation check and I don't like it but I am stuck in a weird spot. Even if I am behind I don't feel like I can fold here. I decide that I cannot get away from this hand and shove it all in. Insta-call from KT top two as I feared but I know my superior starting hand gives me counterfeit outs but they don't come. Reload. What to do, check behind? Pot it? If he flat calls then he could be on either a flush draw or OESD or slow playing his two pair. If he check raises me then that could be a semi bluff or a KQ, KJ etc. I would have a hard time trusting my read enough that I could get away from this and just had to go with the odds that in most cases at these stakes I'm ahead. Maybe if a third diamond came out then it would freeze us both and I could see a cheaper showdown. Bahhh. Weird hand.
Pretty card dead. Folding a ton of hands today.
Pre-flop and there are two blinds and three limpers ahead of me so I execute an info-shove to see if anyone has my AA beat. Ummm...nope. But a couple of ducks come along for the ride figuring that he is at best even money or a 4:1 dog plus totally counterfeitable if the board double pairs. Thanks!
$1.31 from 139 hands to bring me back up to $93.59 and a few bucks shy of the high water mark.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Prime time
Sat down for what ended up being a short session. 15 hands on 4 tables and I was playing on just one for a while.
I never met a top set that I didn't like. KK flops great and pulls down someone with top and bottom (case K!) along with some collateral blinds.
KQ turns the nut straight on a paired board. Main pot goes to the boat but I salvage a decent side pot to take away some of the sting.
These are the same idiots that donk into tripping up bottom pair to a quality holding. Instead this time AdTd's top pair holds and I'm left shaking my head wondering WTF they were calling for...but then I remember that they are chasing their bottom pair trip draw. Got it. Please chase those all day long...just don't HIT!
Little bit of a strategic error here. I thought I was just calling .20 all in and didn't expect to collect the third party. If I knew it was going to be crowded then I would have folded not having enough pot odds to set mine. But sure enough 33 pays off. Awkward turn card. It froze me then I bet it. Then it froze him and he folded after a bit of pondering.
Those three winners were enough to offset the dent from paying off the boat plus give me $3.53 of sugar for the session. Back in the 90s at $92.28.
I never met a top set that I didn't like. KK flops great and pulls down someone with top and bottom (case K!) along with some collateral blinds.
KQ turns the nut straight on a paired board. Main pot goes to the boat but I salvage a decent side pot to take away some of the sting.
These are the same idiots that donk into tripping up bottom pair to a quality holding. Instead this time AdTd's top pair holds and I'm left shaking my head wondering WTF they were calling for...but then I remember that they are chasing their bottom pair trip draw. Got it. Please chase those all day long...just don't HIT!
Little bit of a strategic error here. I thought I was just calling .20 all in and didn't expect to collect the third party. If I knew it was going to be crowded then I would have folded not having enough pot odds to set mine. But sure enough 33 pays off. Awkward turn card. It froze me then I bet it. Then it froze him and he folded after a bit of pondering.
Those three winners were enough to offset the dent from paying off the boat plus give me $3.53 of sugar for the session. Back in the 90s at $92.28.
Little here, little there
104 hands on four tables nets me out $1.83 of sugar. Just grinding out wins with solid hands. I don't even think there were any spectacular double ups even.
Yes I have an A(J), now go away.
KJ flops top pair good kicker. Turn gets scary. River is scarier.
Classic race of my JJ vs big slick. I get a huge head start on the flop and AK is drawing dead by the turn. Only stacking of the session.
Yes I DO have a K! Or at least position with AJ, same difference.
One of those scary moments. I stab OOP with QsJs and a flush draw then get flat called. Hmmm. Now I'm not so sure I WANT a spade to come if he is on Kx. Fire a second shell and he is sold on my A.
That's pretty much it. Not a lot of drama. Played a lot of small ball today and kept pot sizes under control. No big scores but no big suckout either. $88.75 and crawling back to the 90s.
Yes I have an A(J), now go away.
KJ flops top pair good kicker. Turn gets scary. River is scarier.
Classic race of my JJ vs big slick. I get a huge head start on the flop and AK is drawing dead by the turn. Only stacking of the session.
Yes I DO have a K! Or at least position with AJ, same difference.
One of those scary moments. I stab OOP with QsJs and a flush draw then get flat called. Hmmm. Now I'm not so sure I WANT a spade to come if he is on Kx. Fire a second shell and he is sold on my A.
That's pretty much it. Not a lot of drama. Played a lot of small ball today and kept pot sizes under control. No big scores but no big suckout either. $88.75 and crawling back to the 90s.
Better poker and more bounce back
Just more solid fundamentals spread across four tables.
Sit down and post. Flop top two with J5 and bet it. This game is easy! Not quite as easy as finding 2c6c in the BB and flopping a straight with a flush redraw and felting a guy with top pair but close enough.
Remember kids, play premium hands! AQ versus EFDH. Not only do I have him outkicked but we both have side cards in clubs so if a Club did come he would still lose.
Power poker at it's finest. Take down a monster with my BB special Dolly Parton in spades.
Marginal spot here. I get involved with AhQh against two players one of whom is all in. Not sure if I played the flop right. It's not a tournament but there is no side pot either. I'm guessing the guy I bet out was not too pleased. Think I'll post this one.
I check the flop here OOP with Jean Enersen to see if the coast is clear then announce "Why yes I DO have a K."
Go AK! Top/top is good enough.
AK *does* win...without any help from the board either. I pot it pre-flop and get one caller. Flop comes J high and he half pots it, fold between us, and based on what I've observed in the session he'll stab at anything. I decide I am ahead and pot it back. He just flat calls. We get the rest in on the turn and A high takes down a decent pot.
158 hands later I end up $5.03 on the session to get me back up to $86.92.
Sit down and post. Flop top two with J5 and bet it. This game is easy! Not quite as easy as finding 2c6c in the BB and flopping a straight with a flush redraw and felting a guy with top pair but close enough.
Remember kids, play premium hands! AQ versus EFDH. Not only do I have him outkicked but we both have side cards in clubs so if a Club did come he would still lose.
Power poker at it's finest. Take down a monster with my BB special Dolly Parton in spades.
Marginal spot here. I get involved with AhQh against two players one of whom is all in. Not sure if I played the flop right. It's not a tournament but there is no side pot either. I'm guessing the guy I bet out was not too pleased. Think I'll post this one.
I check the flop here OOP with Jean Enersen to see if the coast is clear then announce "Why yes I DO have a K."
Go AK! Top/top is good enough.
AK *does* win...without any help from the board either. I pot it pre-flop and get one caller. Flop comes J high and he half pots it, fold between us, and based on what I've observed in the session he'll stab at anything. I decide I am ahead and pot it back. He just flat calls. We get the rest in on the turn and A high takes down a decent pot.
158 hands later I end up $5.03 on the session to get me back up to $86.92.
Late night hit and run
Four tables $2.40.
Pot pre-flop with AJ and take down blinds and a limper.
Pot it pre-flop with AhKh. Nothing on the flop for me so I leave. Based on previous play I believe I may well have been ahead but I'll find a better spot.
Pre-pot it with QQ and flop pot it to take down a straightforward pot.
Same thing as above but take down a larger pot with JJ.
Almost got jacked by a dialog box again. Tried to bet after trying to get out of another table and I can't click on the button. Forunately, I knew what it was this time and got to close it by the time I got to the river so I could shove and hope to collect a weaker flush. KhTs for nut flush.
Delicious confluence of hands here. I pick up TT and just flat call from the SB. Flop top set on a two suited board. Pot the flop and get three callers. Board pairs low card and I pot it again but for value this time instead of protection, call, shove, overshove, I call all-in, and a follow all-in behind me. So what's going on here? Overpair versus nut flush draw (drawing dead) versus boat over boat. SHIP IT!...and don't forget the two side pots too thank you. $9.58 pot brings me up to 81.89 and a nice rebound spike in the chart.
Pot pre-flop with AJ and take down blinds and a limper.
Pot it pre-flop with AhKh. Nothing on the flop for me so I leave. Based on previous play I believe I may well have been ahead but I'll find a better spot.
Pre-pot it with QQ and flop pot it to take down a straightforward pot.
Same thing as above but take down a larger pot with JJ.
Almost got jacked by a dialog box again. Tried to bet after trying to get out of another table and I can't click on the button. Forunately, I knew what it was this time and got to close it by the time I got to the river so I could shove and hope to collect a weaker flush. KhTs for nut flush.
Delicious confluence of hands here. I pick up TT and just flat call from the SB. Flop top set on a two suited board. Pot the flop and get three callers. Board pairs low card and I pot it again but for value this time instead of protection, call, shove, overshove, I call all-in, and a follow all-in behind me. So what's going on here? Overpair versus nut flush draw (drawing dead) versus boat over boat. SHIP IT!...and don't forget the two side pots too thank you. $9.58 pot brings me up to 81.89 and a nice rebound spike in the chart.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
I blame myself
OK, now THIS was a session with just bad poker. Cards didn't help but I wasn't helping things either managing to get money in bad in a lot of different ways.
QJ doesn't get paid by a worse trips.
Good flop for pocket treys. Probably would not have gotten paid any more than a double up of my short stack. Let me see, four to a straight, three Clubs, and a paired board. Top pair HAS to be good, right?
Marginal situation with AT by the turn I am beating a (highly presumed) Ace with a kicker of 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and losing to AK, AQ, or AJ, and chopping it up with another AT possibly. Limped pot so I find all the hands beating me to be less likely. He has AQ. Oh well. Marginal but I think this is EV+ on balance.
No really, I do know how to lay down an overpair (QQ) but I thought I was up against a flush draw here. I need something more than just a four color deck so I can see straight draws more easily.
Two red Aces on a paired board and four Clubs. I have to be good right? Puleeez.
Here are my snowmans leading my short stack into battle and successfully finding not only AA but an A8 suited to kill one of my outs.
Wow, some really bad play here. I was tired and I knew it. I could have used some blanks falling to help me out in my predicament but this is just me donking off chips. At least I recognized it and backed out of my tables to cut my losses. 125 hands to biff off three buy-ins. Now down to $75.13. I'm still up 50% from my original buy in but find it sorely disappointing to be be a couple bucks shy of doubling up last weekend and having my roll spiral down the toilet.
QJ doesn't get paid by a worse trips.
Good flop for pocket treys. Probably would not have gotten paid any more than a double up of my short stack. Let me see, four to a straight, three Clubs, and a paired board. Top pair HAS to be good, right?
Marginal situation with AT by the turn I am beating a (highly presumed) Ace with a kicker of 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and losing to AK, AQ, or AJ, and chopping it up with another AT possibly. Limped pot so I find all the hands beating me to be less likely. He has AQ. Oh well. Marginal but I think this is EV+ on balance.
No really, I do know how to lay down an overpair (QQ) but I thought I was up against a flush draw here. I need something more than just a four color deck so I can see straight draws more easily.
Two red Aces on a paired board and four Clubs. I have to be good right? Puleeez.
Here are my snowmans leading my short stack into battle and successfully finding not only AA but an A8 suited to kill one of my outs.
Wow, some really bad play here. I was tired and I knew it. I could have used some blanks falling to help me out in my predicament but this is just me donking off chips. At least I recognized it and backed out of my tables to cut my losses. 125 hands to biff off three buy-ins. Now down to $75.13. I'm still up 50% from my original buy in but find it sorely disappointing to be be a couple bucks shy of doubling up last weekend and having my roll spiral down the toilet.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Brunch session
Three tables running.
Flop top/top with AT and I don't counterfeit bottom two.
AA wins. Again, it's helpful to have nut boat in order to not have them cracked. Good call by QQ with two overcards on the flop, OK, gutter too but still.
AJ has A6 dominated but villain just can't let go of the nut flush draw and a presumed (though dead) over. I pot flop and shove on turn. River flushes my chips away.
SpainR Jd8h as a BB special takes it down.
Holy crap. Most frustrating hand EVER! I'm winding up the session and closing down tables when I pick up KK with a raise in front of me. I pop it to a buck and get a shove from the other player. Insta-call...wait..INSTA-CALL!...wtf? I'm clicking the crap out of the mouse and all I can see is my 15 second timer ticking down. Then I get autofolded. What a way to cap the session. Turns out I had a hidden dialog box telling me I couldn't leave a different table when I was still in a hand. Great. Keep those modal dialogs on the top layer of the app please. Thank you.
165 hands. Down to 81.75 now.
Flop top/top with AT and I don't counterfeit bottom two.
AA wins. Again, it's helpful to have nut boat in order to not have them cracked. Good call by QQ with two overcards on the flop, OK, gutter too but still.
AJ has A6 dominated but villain just can't let go of the nut flush draw and a presumed (though dead) over. I pot flop and shove on turn. River flushes my chips away.
SpainR Jd8h as a BB special takes it down.
Holy crap. Most frustrating hand EVER! I'm winding up the session and closing down tables when I pick up KK with a raise in front of me. I pop it to a buck and get a shove from the other player. Insta-call...wait..INSTA-CALL!...wtf? I'm clicking the crap out of the mouse and all I can see is my 15 second timer ticking down. Then I get autofolded. What a way to cap the session. Turns out I had a hidden dialog box telling me I couldn't leave a different table when I was still in a hand. Great. Keep those modal dialogs on the top layer of the app please. Thank you.
165 hands. Down to 81.75 now.
Dec 22
Saturday morning session. Four tables.
Fish hooks hold up against14 outs on the turn.
JhQc and I flop the nut straight. Wish I could give a cheap card but board is too dangerous besides, a raise here is not going so scare away anyone I want action from anyway.
Messed up AA against DCD, a good aggressive player who will do the betting on the end for me. I slow play the flop then check raise the turn. Meant to shove but just min-raised due to Cake interface. Still take down pot though.
Excellent pot size control here by me. I'm in the lead with KQ and raise the flop, call, call. Then after the board forms a straight on the river I bet enough so two calls still ends up $1. We chop, Cake tax free!
Big blind special T3os and I flop top/bottom against AT. Board pairs and I'm counterfeited. What did I say about unraised pots?
I've been running so good with QQ, I'm overjoyed to see them again. Shove. I'm up against "two overs" by two different players AQ and KQ. K flops (and rivers btw) and my set outs are already spoken for. At least I win .35 for the side pot against AQ. I'm trying to avoid pots where I "win" and end up with a shorter stack than I started with.
Did I mention how much I love QQ? News flash, QQ is not favored against any random A.
Flop top set with 99 and I double up through another gutter chaser.
The art of the slow play. QJ flops trips, turn a boat, get paid on the river in a three way show down.
Good news is I'm only down .99 for the session despite getting my money in good in some losses. $83.31 total.
Fish hooks hold up against14 outs on the turn.
JhQc and I flop the nut straight. Wish I could give a cheap card but board is too dangerous besides, a raise here is not going so scare away anyone I want action from anyway.
Messed up AA against DCD, a good aggressive player who will do the betting on the end for me. I slow play the flop then check raise the turn. Meant to shove but just min-raised due to Cake interface. Still take down pot though.
Excellent pot size control here by me. I'm in the lead with KQ and raise the flop, call, call. Then after the board forms a straight on the river I bet enough so two calls still ends up $1. We chop, Cake tax free!
Big blind special T3os and I flop top/bottom against AT. Board pairs and I'm counterfeited. What did I say about unraised pots?
I've been running so good with QQ, I'm overjoyed to see them again. Shove. I'm up against "two overs" by two different players AQ and KQ. K flops (and rivers btw) and my set outs are already spoken for. At least I win .35 for the side pot against AQ. I'm trying to avoid pots where I "win" and end up with a shorter stack than I started with.
Did I mention how much I love QQ? News flash, QQ is not favored against any random A.
Flop top set with 99 and I double up through another gutter chaser.
The art of the slow play. QJ flops trips, turn a boat, get paid on the river in a three way show down.
Good news is I'm only down .99 for the session despite getting my money in good in some losses. $83.31 total.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Getting right back on that horse again
String of bad outcomes last session. Down almost 10% off of peak so I asked the TNP crowd to review the play and got confirmation that yeah it's just a bad session. I don't have the numbers but I'm quite sure that shoving with QQ and AK are EV+ moves in this arena. Just ran into the minority of hands where I'm in really bad shape.
So far so good. Playing my hands "on the list" and just waiting for cards.
Pot it with JJ after a bunch of limpers. Two callers. A high flop and I check/fold. They both have A/no kicker.
JJ again and I pot it, get raised. I flat call. Flop comes T high and I pot it. He folds.
Just a bunch of middling hands swapping chips around the table. Only got flattened on one hand. Pick up QQ. Raise it and get one caller. Flop is paired and all below me. I shove. Get called by AcJc for an over and four to the flush. I know we're flipping but ask for "no club, no ace, no club, no ace." How about both?
I feel like I am being bluffed off of hands by scare cards. I am tinkering with a pattern of pre-flop raise, pot bet on the flop, and just shove it in on the turn if I feel I am ahead and get it overwith. Probably EV+ for me since I can't bet into a third suit on the river if its been check/called all the way.
Down $3.54 to $84.30. Now almost 15% off of peak and heading the wrong way from $100. That's it for now. Will be back in the trenches later.
So far so good. Playing my hands "on the list" and just waiting for cards.
Pot it with JJ after a bunch of limpers. Two callers. A high flop and I check/fold. They both have A/no kicker.
JJ again and I pot it, get raised. I flat call. Flop comes T high and I pot it. He folds.
Just a bunch of middling hands swapping chips around the table. Only got flattened on one hand. Pick up QQ. Raise it and get one caller. Flop is paired and all below me. I shove. Get called by AcJc for an over and four to the flush. I know we're flipping but ask for "no club, no ace, no club, no ace." How about both?
I feel like I am being bluffed off of hands by scare cards. I am tinkering with a pattern of pre-flop raise, pot bet on the flop, and just shove it in on the turn if I feel I am ahead and get it overwith. Probably EV+ for me since I can't bet into a third suit on the river if its been check/called all the way.
Down $3.54 to $84.30. Now almost 15% off of peak and heading the wrong way from $100. That's it for now. Will be back in the trenches later.
Is this what they mean by running bad?
Have a seat kids. This is how to lose about four buy-ins.
Run QQ into AA. Reload.
Run AK into AA. Reload.
Pot it with AK and keep potting it each street. I have KT dominated but he turns two pair. Reload.
Is this seriously going on?
See a flop with AT. Flop top pair good kicker and call the flop. Turn gives me the nut straight and I get it all in. Find I'm up against A/nothing spade draw. No spade, no spade, no spade. River is...not a spade but it's a ten to counterfeit my straight and chop the pot.
Playing AJ and hammering the crap out of the pot. I'm all in by the turn. $11.70 pot brewing which will erase all of the rest of this session. OESD catches his 8 to take down the pot.
That AJ hand is enough for me to call it quits for now. I am pressing up against my 10% cutoff point. Time to re-examine these hands and verify if I need to do anything different. Right now I don't think so. Coolers and suckouts.
87 hands of sheer enjoyment. Down $9.09 to $87.84.
Run QQ into AA. Reload.
Run AK into AA. Reload.
Pot it with AK and keep potting it each street. I have KT dominated but he turns two pair. Reload.
Is this seriously going on?
See a flop with AT. Flop top pair good kicker and call the flop. Turn gives me the nut straight and I get it all in. Find I'm up against A/nothing spade draw. No spade, no spade, no spade. River is...not a spade but it's a ten to counterfeit my straight and chop the pot.
Playing AJ and hammering the crap out of the pot. I'm all in by the turn. $11.70 pot brewing which will erase all of the rest of this session. OESD catches his 8 to take down the pot.
That AJ hand is enough for me to call it quits for now. I am pressing up against my 10% cutoff point. Time to re-examine these hands and verify if I need to do anything different. Right now I don't think so. Coolers and suckouts.
87 hands of sheer enjoyment. Down $9.09 to $87.84.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Afternoon session
Four tables. Standard now.
AAA on board? Of course I know my KJos is good. Slow played it though.
As5s wins after clarification after the flop that yes indeed I DO have an A thank you.
Contrary to belief, AA does in fact win sometimes, helps to boat up though. Flop the overpair then turn top set. Get called by junker hand As5s (case A again!) who has top pair and nutter flush draw. I fade the spade and take down hand.
KK can win sometimes too.
Hmmm...JT bottom two pair versus top set. Which one would YOU rather be? All diamond flop but we both proceed to get money in the turn regardless. I figure I could always boat up...never mind, drawing dead. Wah wahhhh.
Sometimes KK wins just a little pot.
7d8d and I miss my straight flush.
The classic race situation QQ vs AK...and throw in 85os for good measure. ONE TIME!!! Ahhh...forget it.
I river the nuts with TJ and chop it up...minus the Cake tax. We both end up poorer for winning that hand. Nice raise, ass!
Who's that sitting over there? Oh it's THAT GUY again. I hate sucking out guys, really. I'm QQ vs KK vs AhKh. Ooops. Sorry about that. Oh and by the way...see ya suckas! $7.12 is too much on the table for me so I back out of all my seats and get the flock outta there.
216 hands. $4.21 for about an hours work. Not quite minimum wage but at over 100 BB/hour it's a pretty good clip. Nudging closer to a double up. $96.93. When do I get my rakeback?
AAA on board? Of course I know my KJos is good. Slow played it though.
As5s wins after clarification after the flop that yes indeed I DO have an A thank you.
Contrary to belief, AA does in fact win sometimes, helps to boat up though. Flop the overpair then turn top set. Get called by junker hand As5s (case A again!) who has top pair and nutter flush draw. I fade the spade and take down hand.
KK can win sometimes too.
Hmmm...JT bottom two pair versus top set. Which one would YOU rather be? All diamond flop but we both proceed to get money in the turn regardless. I figure I could always boat up...never mind, drawing dead. Wah wahhhh.
Sometimes KK wins just a little pot.
7d8d and I miss my straight flush.
The classic race situation QQ vs AK...and throw in 85os for good measure. ONE TIME!!! Ahhh...forget it.
I river the nuts with TJ and chop it up...minus the Cake tax. We both end up poorer for winning that hand. Nice raise, ass!
Who's that sitting over there? Oh it's THAT GUY again. I hate sucking out guys, really. I'm QQ vs KK vs AhKh. Ooops. Sorry about that. Oh and by the way...see ya suckas! $7.12 is too much on the table for me so I back out of all my seats and get the flock outta there.
216 hands. $4.21 for about an hours work. Not quite minimum wage but at over 100 BB/hour it's a pretty good clip. Nudging closer to a double up. $96.93. When do I get my rakeback?
Dec 20
Let's try this new monitor again.
Looked through the hand history converter and saw this one. I won with 36os?
Don't limp with AA kids. ROT says I saved money on this hand by limping because JT would have come along. Although I will say my implied odds were through the roof if an A hit. Did I mention not to limp with AA?
QT is such a trap hand. Pounding on top pair. Top pair/third kicker is good enough.
I pay attention my my advice often enough and if it weren't for this clown being so aggro, I wouldn't have been in this situation but I was very high probability to stack him because he'd been shoving often. 49os in BB.
Should have raised the flop with QJos.
AKos flops top/top, turns trips, rivers boat. Called on the flop by KhTh for a gutshot straight and a Jason flush. Just the gutshot on the turn. And the bluff call on the river.
Why don't I bet my A high for value on the river?
Five limpers ahead of my AA in the BB. I pot it to thin it down and thin it down I did. Good news: thinned it down. Bad news: thinned it down to four. They hold up against Mr. Gutter.
Hey *I* am THAT GUY! Let me get my money in bad again with KTos. I flop bottom pair and an open ender which is behind the flopped sucker straight. Oh well at least I can suck out a broadway straight...or a boat. Hey I was short stacked! Gambool!
I would rather be the one who wins when I'm ahead then suckout when I'm behind. I'm in the situation where I'm ahead a LOT more than the other way around but I'd rather get some suckouts than none at all I suppose.
120 hands and I'm up $2.82 for the session. 92.72 is a new peak.
Looked through the hand history converter and saw this one. I won with 36os?
Don't limp with AA kids. ROT says I saved money on this hand by limping because JT would have come along. Although I will say my implied odds were through the roof if an A hit. Did I mention not to limp with AA?
QT is such a trap hand. Pounding on top pair. Top pair/third kicker is good enough.
I pay attention my my advice often enough and if it weren't for this clown being so aggro, I wouldn't have been in this situation but I was very high probability to stack him because he'd been shoving often. 49os in BB.
Should have raised the flop with QJos.
AKos flops top/top, turns trips, rivers boat. Called on the flop by KhTh for a gutshot straight and a Jason flush. Just the gutshot on the turn. And the bluff call on the river.
Why don't I bet my A high for value on the river?
Five limpers ahead of my AA in the BB. I pot it to thin it down and thin it down I did. Good news: thinned it down. Bad news: thinned it down to four. They hold up against Mr. Gutter.
Hey *I* am THAT GUY! Let me get my money in bad again with KTos. I flop bottom pair and an open ender which is behind the flopped sucker straight. Oh well at least I can suck out a broadway straight...or a boat. Hey I was short stacked! Gambool!
I would rather be the one who wins when I'm ahead then suckout when I'm behind. I'm in the situation where I'm ahead a LOT more than the other way around but I'd rather get some suckouts than none at all I suppose.
120 hands and I'm up $2.82 for the session. 92.72 is a new peak.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Four tables - no waiting
Just set up my new monitor that Santa dropped off early for me. Four tables are still overlapping, meh, but much better than on my laptop screen.
Potted with AsQd. Flopped an Ace, potted it. Turn was third club, check check. River was Qc for fourth club and two pair for me. I put out a bet and get a shove from the nut flush. I fold.
Oh good, QQ. I pot it and UTG who had limped now shoves. I call his AJos. I'm trying not to think negatively but I am prepared for an A to hit...which it does...twice. Reload.
Here's a weird one. AKos in BB with a raise, a shove, and a call ahead of me. Too much action and I decide to get out for my BB and pick a better spot. Any pair is a coin flip and I am assuming that some of my outs are gone. ROT says excellent fold when BOTH other dominated A hands made two pair.
See a flop with AT and flop top/top. Pot the flop. Ship the turn. Q8 (gutshot on flop) paired the turn then catches trip eights on the river. Nice.
Lose to Q8 bottom pair and gutter to my top top/
This one's for Joe. Ship it!
Thank goodness for donks like this guy. I raise pre-flop with 99 and flop top set on an all diamond board. There's a min bet stab and I pot it. Two callers(!). I don't need to wait long as the turn pairs the low card. Check to me and I push while a single diamond might still think they can catch and be good. One guy thinks then calls and the other folds. He's drawing dead. He has an "over" (A) and a gutter on a paired board with three diamonds of which he has zero. Nice call. Thanks. Please call again.
This guy knows the power of the SpainR. Calls (not pushes, CALLS) a shove with Js8d, not a true but gets the job done against the lame AK hand.
Pick up pocket rockets, good. Worst flop ever gets worse on the river. Checks through and I take it down. Scarrrrry.
Damn I'm good. I pick up the Doyle Brunson in the BB and put the "fold to any bet" button on. I tend to other tables and when I come back I've rivered two pair and win in a walk taking down a massive .14 pot.
I call a short stack with a wired pair of 77 figuring his range is the ocean. Run into QQ and they hold up.
Now I am the short stack and pick up QQ and shove. SAME GUY now overshoves to isolate. He shows 88 and I figure he's returning the favor. Uh uh. 8 on the riv to boat up and I'm felted. Reload.
Some minor justice here when I call a short stack with AQ dominating AT. AT flops top two but I catch runner runner broadway. I would rather win the big ones but I'll take it.
The tables began slowing down to a crawl and people started bailing so I shut down my tables and left.
Big session: 325 hands. After the crappy run of hands and two reloads I am only down $2.44 for the session when I easily could have been up at least that much. Currently down to $89.90.
I did run into one unique situation this session and that was after I more than doubled up on the 9s full hand. At that point I had more than $5 on the table and I usually don't like that and take off but since it is "stack limit" poker I actually had all but two players covered so with them it was essentially the same as me having my normal $2.40. One guy was fully loaded with > $20 and the last guy was just a shade over me. I was very conscious of all of the stack sizes and was careful about who I mixed it up with. Servers slowed down anyway so it never ended up being an issue.
Potted with AsQd. Flopped an Ace, potted it. Turn was third club, check check. River was Qc for fourth club and two pair for me. I put out a bet and get a shove from the nut flush. I fold.
Oh good, QQ. I pot it and UTG who had limped now shoves. I call his AJos. I'm trying not to think negatively but I am prepared for an A to hit...which it does...twice. Reload.
Here's a weird one. AKos in BB with a raise, a shove, and a call ahead of me. Too much action and I decide to get out for my BB and pick a better spot. Any pair is a coin flip and I am assuming that some of my outs are gone. ROT says excellent fold when BOTH other dominated A hands made two pair.
See a flop with AT and flop top/top. Pot the flop. Ship the turn. Q8 (gutshot on flop) paired the turn then catches trip eights on the river. Nice.
Lose to Q8 bottom pair and gutter to my top top/
This one's for Joe. Ship it!
Thank goodness for donks like this guy. I raise pre-flop with 99 and flop top set on an all diamond board. There's a min bet stab and I pot it. Two callers(!). I don't need to wait long as the turn pairs the low card. Check to me and I push while a single diamond might still think they can catch and be good. One guy thinks then calls and the other folds. He's drawing dead. He has an "over" (A) and a gutter on a paired board with three diamonds of which he has zero. Nice call. Thanks. Please call again.
This guy knows the power of the SpainR. Calls (not pushes, CALLS) a shove with Js8d, not a true but gets the job done against the lame AK hand.
Pick up pocket rockets, good. Worst flop ever gets worse on the river. Checks through and I take it down. Scarrrrry.
Damn I'm good. I pick up the Doyle Brunson in the BB and put the "fold to any bet" button on. I tend to other tables and when I come back I've rivered two pair and win in a walk taking down a massive .14 pot.
I call a short stack with a wired pair of 77 figuring his range is the ocean. Run into QQ and they hold up.
Now I am the short stack and pick up QQ and shove. SAME GUY now overshoves to isolate. He shows 88 and I figure he's returning the favor. Uh uh. 8 on the riv to boat up and I'm felted. Reload.
Some minor justice here when I call a short stack with AQ dominating AT. AT flops top two but I catch runner runner broadway. I would rather win the big ones but I'll take it.
The tables began slowing down to a crawl and people started bailing so I shut down my tables and left.
Big session: 325 hands. After the crappy run of hands and two reloads I am only down $2.44 for the session when I easily could have been up at least that much. Currently down to $89.90.
I did run into one unique situation this session and that was after I more than doubled up on the 9s full hand. At that point I had more than $5 on the table and I usually don't like that and take off but since it is "stack limit" poker I actually had all but two players covered so with them it was essentially the same as me having my normal $2.40. One guy was fully loaded with > $20 and the last guy was just a shade over me. I was very conscious of all of the stack sizes and was careful about who I mixed it up with. Servers slowed down anyway so it never ended up being an issue.
Wed morning
Start off at two tables then take on four after seats opened up.
Stack off JJ to AA. He flat called a raise before him so I shoved from the BB and didn't improve. Flat calling would have saved me there with a KQ flop. Three ways to play JJ and all of the wrong.
I pick up everyone's favorite dominated hand KQ and flop two pair with Q kicker. Nice. It is bet, I raise, call, call. Q on the turn gives me THREE PAIR! w00t! What could I POSSIBLY be losing to? I shove and get insta-called by A9. Yeah, well three pair beats one trip biatch...when I river a Q! Shouldn't have slowplayed that mutha! This game is so easy. Get your money in when you are behind and suck out. He let me get there anyway. Oh, and I'm leaving the table too. See ya sucka! Somewhere out in the blogosphere someone is writing about how they got some idiot shoving money in when they were way behind every step until the river...
And finally...one of THOSE hands. I pick up everyone's favorite least favorite hand AK. I flop top/top and stack off to bottom set. In this environment I think I'm probably going to lose every time in that situation. The calling range is so wide in that situation I'm going to the mat with top/top. His check call was cause for concern and I felt behind somehow but oh well. That's why I'm buying in short so when I lose with a hand that I can't get away from then I have a safety as to how bad it can hurt me.
A swingy 82 hands but still eeked out .24 profit. $92.34. Still looking to crack one bill this week.
Stack off JJ to AA. He flat called a raise before him so I shoved from the BB and didn't improve. Flat calling would have saved me there with a KQ flop. Three ways to play JJ and all of the wrong.
I pick up everyone's favorite dominated hand KQ and flop two pair with Q kicker. Nice. It is bet, I raise, call, call. Q on the turn gives me THREE PAIR! w00t! What could I POSSIBLY be losing to? I shove and get insta-called by A9. Yeah, well three pair beats one trip biatch...when I river a Q! Shouldn't have slowplayed that mutha! This game is so easy. Get your money in when you are behind and suck out. He let me get there anyway. Oh, and I'm leaving the table too. See ya sucka! Somewhere out in the blogosphere someone is writing about how they got some idiot shoving money in when they were way behind every step until the river...
And finally...one of THOSE hands. I pick up everyone's favorite least favorite hand AK. I flop top/top and stack off to bottom set. In this environment I think I'm probably going to lose every time in that situation. The calling range is so wide in that situation I'm going to the mat with top/top. His check call was cause for concern and I felt behind somehow but oh well. That's why I'm buying in short so when I lose with a hand that I can't get away from then I have a safety as to how bad it can hurt me.
A swingy 82 hands but still eeked out .24 profit. $92.34. Still looking to crack one bill this week.
Wed morning
Three tables.
Pot it with AQ, flop top/top, and call the guy that wants to stack off with top pair/invisible kicker.
34 hands. Up 2.23. $92.10, now high water mark.
Pot it with AQ, flop top/top, and call the guy that wants to stack off with top pair/invisible kicker.
34 hands. Up 2.23. $92.10, now high water mark.
Dec 19
Short on tables at this hour. Just wanted to get a few hands in.
Nothing much to report.
Pot with AK swing/miss.
Delaed cbet with AcJc UTG on a QTx board.
Bah. Some people must be asleep at the keyboard. Pace is glacial. I'm outta here.
39 hands. Down 54 cents for my troubles.
Nothing much to report.
Pot with AK swing/miss.
Delaed cbet with AcJc UTG on a QTx board.
Bah. Some people must be asleep at the keyboard. Pace is glacial. I'm outta here.
39 hands. Down 54 cents for my troubles.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Dec 18
Only one table running at this hour.
Pot a 4x raise when I have JJ. Flop comes out K high and it is checked to me. I throw out a 1/2 pot feeler bet. Opponent thinks about it then folds. Maybe JJ or TT? I am now up more in one hand than my last 1.5 hour marathon session. Sobering.
Time to go to bed. 9 hands. 53 cents up. $90.41 and almost back up to the high water mark.
Pot a 4x raise when I have JJ. Flop comes out K high and it is checked to me. I throw out a 1/2 pot feeler bet. Opponent thinks about it then folds. Maybe JJ or TT? I am now up more in one hand than my last 1.5 hour marathon session. Sobering.
Time to go to bed. 9 hands. 53 cents up. $90.41 and almost back up to the high water mark.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Monday Night
One more session tonight. Sticking to game plan or solid TAG fundamentals.
Four tables.
I have been folding like a banshee.
Potted with AKos. Swing/miss.
Taking down small pots here and there.
One table getting too shorthanded so I'm sitting out until more players show up.
Pick up AA and pot it. One caller and I pot the Q high flop after it's checked to me.
AdKd pot it after a min raise. Missed check through to river and fold to a board with a one card straight.
Get JJ and pot it. One caller. I cbet AA flop. Call. K on turn. Check/shove/fold.
Pick up QQ. Pot it. Get a caller from a guy that just got felted when his KT on a T high flop fell short against JJ. He goes to the mat with secon pair on flop A kicker and I stack him.
Get KK against a guy getting frisky with his medium A. Flop is JJ, I push and my boat holds.
KsTs.Well everyone got a piece of this flop. I flop top pair and four to the flush. Somehow I lose this hand. PokerStove said I was 40% so got the money in OK. Figured I was outkicked but had 9+3 outs to either two pair (which I did but was counterfeited) or flush (though I was missing some outs in the other hands). Bummer. Reload.
Courtesy double up from "but I flopped two pair" when I'm holding AcJc and flop trip A.
Pick up AsKs against same guy. Pot it. Flop comes all low and I cbet after he checks. Call. Turn pairs bottom card 3 and he pots it. I fold.
See a flop in BB with Ac7c and flop nut flush draw. Checks through and one bet of .20 with a call before me so I am getting good odds to call. With the caller I'm hopoing it will be a flush over flush but guy behind me pushes all in and has me covered. I fold.
Flop a set and try slow play aggro guy. I maximize the hand then push on the riv. No call.
275 hands. .13 of sugar. Oy. Really only had that one hand with top pair and a flush draw that didn't pan out to take my session total down. I'm still OK with the play.
Four tables.
I have been folding like a banshee.
Potted with AKos. Swing/miss.
Taking down small pots here and there.
One table getting too shorthanded so I'm sitting out until more players show up.
Pick up AA and pot it. One caller and I pot the Q high flop after it's checked to me.
AdKd pot it after a min raise. Missed check through to river and fold to a board with a one card straight.
Get JJ and pot it. One caller. I cbet AA flop. Call. K on turn. Check/shove/fold.
Pick up QQ. Pot it. Get a caller from a guy that just got felted when his KT on a T high flop fell short against JJ. He goes to the mat with secon pair on flop A kicker and I stack him.
Get KK against a guy getting frisky with his medium A. Flop is JJ, I push and my boat holds.
KsTs.Well everyone got a piece of this flop. I flop top pair and four to the flush. Somehow I lose this hand. PokerStove said I was 40% so got the money in OK. Figured I was outkicked but had 9+3 outs to either two pair (which I did but was counterfeited) or flush (though I was missing some outs in the other hands). Bummer. Reload.
Courtesy double up from "but I flopped two pair" when I'm holding AcJc and flop trip A.
Pick up AsKs against same guy. Pot it. Flop comes all low and I cbet after he checks. Call. Turn pairs bottom card 3 and he pots it. I fold.
See a flop in BB with Ac7c and flop nut flush draw. Checks through and one bet of .20 with a call before me so I am getting good odds to call. With the caller I'm hopoing it will be a flush over flush but guy behind me pushes all in and has me covered. I fold.
Flop a set and try slow play aggro guy. I maximize the hand then push on the riv. No call.
275 hands. .13 of sugar. Oy. Really only had that one hand with top pair and a flush draw that didn't pan out to take my session total down. I'm still OK with the play.
Dec 17 evening
Traffic jam at the tables. On the waiting lists for a few tables and I'll take what comes open.
Now at first table. Dum de dum de dum. Now at two tables. Fold fold fold.
Deja vu, I got 8s2s again but didn't win in a walk this time. What are the chances?
Third table open. Still now hands worth playing yet. Gooooood folds.
Oooh Ad7d...nah.
9dTd in the BB post so I get to see a flop. Swing and a miss. I don't call the pot sized bet.
Three tables, can't wait for Santa to bring my new monitor.
AJos in the SB and it folds around to me. BB has .60. I raise to $2. Oooops! Meant to raise to .20 but same differnce.
Take down a pot with my 99. Flop pairs ducks with a trey on the side. I bet half pot and get two callers. Q then K for turn and river and it checks through both streets. Ka-ching!
Four tables now. Getting crowded but I love the selectivity I get.
Called a raise to .13 with TT. Don't like calling a raise like that but it was multiway enough to go set mining.
Hey I found out how to add chips without leaving the table! I rarely need it but good to know. Just talk to the dealer!
Pot it with TT to thin out limpers. One call. Flop is K high all spades and I have Ts. Pot sized bet to me. No thank you.
Pot it to .22 with QQ. Two callers. Flop middle set and slow play it with an A on the flop. Finally half pot it and no customers.
Flop bottom set of 66 and double up.
Up $2.80 for a total of $89.75.
Good decisions. Picked my spots. Got paid on my big hands.
Now at first table. Dum de dum de dum. Now at two tables. Fold fold fold.
Deja vu, I got 8s2s again but didn't win in a walk this time. What are the chances?
Third table open. Still now hands worth playing yet. Gooooood folds.
Oooh Ad7d...nah.
9dTd in the BB post so I get to see a flop. Swing and a miss. I don't call the pot sized bet.
Three tables, can't wait for Santa to bring my new monitor.
AJos in the SB and it folds around to me. BB has .60. I raise to $2. Oooops! Meant to raise to .20 but same differnce.
Take down a pot with my 99. Flop pairs ducks with a trey on the side. I bet half pot and get two callers. Q then K for turn and river and it checks through both streets. Ka-ching!
Four tables now. Getting crowded but I love the selectivity I get.
Called a raise to .13 with TT. Don't like calling a raise like that but it was multiway enough to go set mining.
Hey I found out how to add chips without leaving the table! I rarely need it but good to know. Just talk to the dealer!
Pot it with TT to thin out limpers. One call. Flop is K high all spades and I have Ts. Pot sized bet to me. No thank you.
Pot it to .22 with QQ. Two callers. Flop middle set and slow play it with an A on the flop. Finally half pot it and no customers.
Flop bottom set of 66 and double up.
Up $2.80 for a total of $89.75.
Good decisions. Picked my spots. Got paid on my big hands.
Dec 17
Stupid stupid stupid. Potted with AQos and got re-raised. Two others came along for the ride so I called the extra .08. Mistake #1. Flopped Q second pair and nut flush diamond draw. Check called the flop for .50. Mistake #2. Turn was a blank. Called another .50. Mistake #3. River = blank. Well might as go for the quadfecta and call off a buck, right? Perfect. He shows AK (duh!) and I'm down to .04. That is probably the absolute worst hand I've played on Cake ever. No idea how that came about. SEVERE deviation from course. Reload.
Made a buck on this hand. Don't know if I was steaming and making a donk call or if it was a good read. Extra .50 value bet on the end.
What did I say about unraised pots? I limp with JTos. Flop top pair and call a .65 push from big lick who made bottom two pair. Time to NIT UP!
On three tables now.
Shoved with QQ and lost to Ac8c (sooooted) who rivered their flush.
JJ outflopped by a weak A.
TT outflopped by AJ.
Called a min bet with 7d7x on 9 high all diamond board. Unnecessary.
Fifth buy in. Three tables now.
Win with 8s2s from BB in a walk.
Here is the big hand to get me to leave. Dealt AKos and I call a big raise from the SB. Flop is 7TQ all clubs so I have two overs, a gutshot striaght, and the nut flush draw. I pot the flop, call. Turn pairs the ten and I pot again with my same outs, call. Hit an A on the river and shove my last .67 in, call. My guess is KcKx or KcQx? Anyway, time to run away.
Take my free hands from the rest of my tables.
180 hands and I'm down $1.62 which I'll take considering I flushed my first buy in horrible fashion. Balance is $86.95.
Made a buck on this hand. Don't know if I was steaming and making a donk call or if it was a good read. Extra .50 value bet on the end.
What did I say about unraised pots? I limp with JTos. Flop top pair and call a .65 push from big lick who made bottom two pair. Time to NIT UP!
On three tables now.
Shoved with QQ and lost to Ac8c (sooooted) who rivered their flush.
JJ outflopped by a weak A.
TT outflopped by AJ.
Called a min bet with 7d7x on 9 high all diamond board. Unnecessary.
Fifth buy in. Three tables now.
Win with 8s2s from BB in a walk.
Here is the big hand to get me to leave. Dealt AKos and I call a big raise from the SB. Flop is 7TQ all clubs so I have two overs, a gutshot striaght, and the nut flush draw. I pot the flop, call. Turn pairs the ten and I pot again with my same outs, call. Hit an A on the river and shove my last .67 in, call. My guess is KcKx or KcQx? Anyway, time to run away.
Take my free hands from the rest of my tables.
180 hands and I'm down $1.62 which I'll take considering I flushed my first buy in horrible fashion. Balance is $86.95.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Quick turbo
No full tables so I sat down at two turbos.
First hand it get is 4d7d in a posted BB. Get a free walk to an OESFD which also straighted out on a paired board. Made a .10 value bet on the end, no callers. w00t.
Also found myself in a hand with A6 for top pair no kicker. Being new to 6 handed tables I'm floating as to whether or not I'm good here. I pot the flop then it got cloudy then ugly. Just happy to see a cheap showdown for now. 24 cent pot, baby!
And then there's this one. Pick up 66 in the BB and flop bottom set. I pot it, get min-raised, I re-pot, call. I shove the turn and the set holds.
Cash out up $2.08 and the roll is now $88.57.
Not sure I like 6 handed. More rake per hand. Will need to play less premium hands. Not sure if TAG is more rewarded at 6 handed or 10 handed. Good experience and I definitely didn't have to wait very long for my turn to come up.
First hand it get is 4d7d in a posted BB. Get a free walk to an OESFD which also straighted out on a paired board. Made a .10 value bet on the end, no callers. w00t.
Also found myself in a hand with A6 for top pair no kicker. Being new to 6 handed tables I'm floating as to whether or not I'm good here. I pot the flop then it got cloudy then ugly. Just happy to see a cheap showdown for now. 24 cent pot, baby!
And then there's this one. Pick up 66 in the BB and flop bottom set. I pot it, get min-raised, I re-pot, call. I shove the turn and the set holds.
Cash out up $2.08 and the roll is now $88.57.
Not sure I like 6 handed. More rake per hand. Will need to play less premium hands. Not sure if TAG is more rewarded at 6 handed or 10 handed. Good experience and I definitely didn't have to wait very long for my turn to come up.
Sunday Night
Really trying to iron out the bumps by playing more tables which helps me nit up.
Here's the double up. Dominated this guy pre-flop with AT and we both paired the flop. I had top/top and he had bot/top. Pot the flop, push the turn, rake it.
After that I start extricating myself from the tables and play out my free hands. No real hands of interest as I close down the next two tables.
And then on the last hand of the last table I catch AA UTG. I think of limping since I'm UTG because I'm sure some bozo is going to bump it but instead I come out of the gates with a bet of .30 since potting the blinds won't do squat for thinning the field. One caller and the SB and BB are taking FOREVER to act. While their thermometers are draining to zero I decide that with my stack there is absolutely no flop that can come where I wouldn't shove. As soon as the three card are fanned it push and the I get a call from everyone's favorite dominated hand who caught top pair K...and then turned another K. Wah wahhhh. That felts me on that table.
87 hands. $9.60 in, $8.09 out, to net out -$1.51 plus some Sklansky bucks. $86.49 total.
Here's the double up. Dominated this guy pre-flop with AT and we both paired the flop. I had top/top and he had bot/top. Pot the flop, push the turn, rake it.
After that I start extricating myself from the tables and play out my free hands. No real hands of interest as I close down the next two tables.
And then on the last hand of the last table I catch AA UTG. I think of limping since I'm UTG because I'm sure some bozo is going to bump it but instead I come out of the gates with a bet of .30 since potting the blinds won't do squat for thinning the field. One caller and the SB and BB are taking FOREVER to act. While their thermometers are draining to zero I decide that with my stack there is absolutely no flop that can come where I wouldn't shove. As soon as the three card are fanned it push and the I get a call from everyone's favorite dominated hand who caught top pair K...and then turned another K. Wah wahhhh. That felts me on that table.
87 hands. $9.60 in, $8.09 out, to net out -$1.51 plus some Sklansky bucks. $86.49 total.
Dec 16 morning big session - can't win 'em all
Three tables x $2.40.
Limp in to see a flop with 66 and throw a half pot bet at a 887 flop and take it down.
Pot it with JJ. Bet and raise before me on 8 high flop. I commit myself with my overpair and get the bad news that 88 hit. I didn't feel good about that one but so hard to tell A8 from 88 in that situation. Buy up to full stack on that table.
Pick up JJ, flop an overpair and pot it, call. K on turn, check, check. River forms a four card straight and it is bet at. Fold.
Pick up some more big pairs and KK gets many .30 callers and I shove on a J high flip. Reasonable sized pot.
When are pocket aces not the favored hand pre-flop? Pick up AA with two limps a min-raise and a call in front of me. I shove for .98 and get called by...the other two aces. Pay the Cake tax and chop up the rest.
A raise to .22 and two callers ahead of my KK. I shove and get AhQh heads up. I flop top set but with two hearts. Turn blanks. River fills his straight. I didn't like that one.
This has to be a sign. Dealt true SpainR two times in a row at the same table. I took the sign and folded both times.
I shove with AKos and get called by AhKh. Pay more Cake tax, chop it up.
Time to take a break. One last orbit.
I shove with AKos and get a courtesy double up by that power house hand, Q7.
Take down blinds with AKos.
One last AKos pot bet and cbet on J high flop and I'm out.
$9.60 in buy-ins (due to having my JJ set mined against) and cash out for $6.71. Net -$2.89 for an overall total of 88 straight.
I had a bad feeling about the 8 high flop and my JJ. The raise after the bet was setting off alarms. If it has just been a bet from the set then I would have felt more comfortable shoving there. I wasn't beating much that was raising a bet except for 99 or TT and maybe A8. Getting KK cracked by AQ again was disappointing. But I wanted to start cranking through a lot more hands to iron out variance and even though I lost a couple of big pots and had some medium pots not go my way I was only down a litle more than a buy-in. I had been spoiled recently by great cards holding up and this session slapped me back into reality but I'm keeping my buy-ins small to keep my fluctuations constrained to a narrow path so even bad beats can't ding my roll that much.
I did feel that I was pressing a little after my JJ hand but I made sure to center myself and stick to game plan with my starting hands. That's why getting my KK cracked was even more disappointing than normal because that would have gotten be back over the top. Still, I stuck to plan and got the ending total into respectable territory.
Limp in to see a flop with 66 and throw a half pot bet at a 887 flop and take it down.
Pot it with JJ. Bet and raise before me on 8 high flop. I commit myself with my overpair and get the bad news that 88 hit. I didn't feel good about that one but so hard to tell A8 from 88 in that situation. Buy up to full stack on that table.
Pick up JJ, flop an overpair and pot it, call. K on turn, check, check. River forms a four card straight and it is bet at. Fold.
Pick up some more big pairs and KK gets many .30 callers and I shove on a J high flip. Reasonable sized pot.
When are pocket aces not the favored hand pre-flop? Pick up AA with two limps a min-raise and a call in front of me. I shove for .98 and get called by...the other two aces. Pay the Cake tax and chop up the rest.
A raise to .22 and two callers ahead of my KK. I shove and get AhQh heads up. I flop top set but with two hearts. Turn blanks. River fills his straight. I didn't like that one.
This has to be a sign. Dealt true SpainR two times in a row at the same table. I took the sign and folded both times.
I shove with AKos and get called by AhKh. Pay more Cake tax, chop it up.
Time to take a break. One last orbit.
I shove with AKos and get a courtesy double up by that power house hand, Q7.
Take down blinds with AKos.
One last AKos pot bet and cbet on J high flop and I'm out.
$9.60 in buy-ins (due to having my JJ set mined against) and cash out for $6.71. Net -$2.89 for an overall total of 88 straight.
I had a bad feeling about the 8 high flop and my JJ. The raise after the bet was setting off alarms. If it has just been a bet from the set then I would have felt more comfortable shoving there. I wasn't beating much that was raising a bet except for 99 or TT and maybe A8. Getting KK cracked by AQ again was disappointing. But I wanted to start cranking through a lot more hands to iron out variance and even though I lost a couple of big pots and had some medium pots not go my way I was only down a litle more than a buy-in. I had been spoiled recently by great cards holding up and this session slapped me back into reality but I'm keeping my buy-ins small to keep my fluctuations constrained to a narrow path so even bad beats can't ding my roll that much.
I did feel that I was pressing a little after my JJ hand but I made sure to center myself and stick to game plan with my starting hands. That's why getting my KK cracked was even more disappointing than normal because that would have gotten be back over the top. Still, I stuck to plan and got the ending total into respectable territory.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Late session
Pick up AA a couple of hands after sitting down. One limper ahead of me and I pop it up to .30 to make it look like a new guy sitting down trying to steal. Folds around to the limper. Flop comes JQ6 and it's checked to me and I overbet the pot, call. Turn is a 4 and I'm not turning back now so I shove the remaining 1.06 and get called by the big stack who just couldn't lay down his K6os, especially after it hit bottom pair on the flop. Quick double up on that gives me $2.10 of sugar and I stand up from the table.
7 hands on two tables. $90.89 and I have WAY exceeded the $80 goal for the weekend. Another new high water mark and the century mark should be attainable next week sometime.
7 hands on two tables. $90.89 and I have WAY exceeded the $80 goal for the weekend. Another new high water mark and the century mark should be attainable next week sometime.
Evening session
Going to clock a few more hands before heading out tonight. One table x $2.40 and I'm on waiting list for other table. Just got in.
Flop trips in the BB. Pot it twice then let off the gas when I make bottom half of a boat. Only win of the session.
38 hands. A nickel and penny of sugar. Sweet! $88.79.
Felt really good about this session. Caught trips but didn't go crazy for a free hand in the BB. Yeah caught trips but had a bad kicker and he is just as likely to have a three. Didn't press. Stayed to plan on the hand selection. Had no problem folding hands off the list even though QT and J9s were calling my name. Said I would sit down for a few hands and that's all I did.
Flop trips in the BB. Pot it twice then let off the gas when I make bottom half of a boat. Only win of the session.
38 hands. A nickel and penny of sugar. Sweet! $88.79.
Felt really good about this session. Caught trips but didn't go crazy for a free hand in the BB. Yeah caught trips but had a bad kicker and he is just as likely to have a three. Didn't press. Stayed to plan on the hand selection. Had no problem folding hands off the list even though QT and J9s were calling my name. Said I would sit down for a few hands and that's all I did.
Biggest pot ever so far
Sit down to two big blind specials. 53os that flops trips. AsQs that checks through after I pot it and chop with another AQ suited.
Doesn't take long to walk into a monster, maybe not a perfect storm but definitely a major squall. There is a limper, min-raiser, and two callers ahead of me with SB and BB behind me so I am getting nearly the pot odds to set mine with my two nickels and it's not going to take much action post flop implied odds to work out. Q75 rainbow. I heart sets! AND I'm in position. Half pot bet, call, call, to me and I pot it. Lose one but keep two others. J on the turn and it's checked to me so I shove for my remaining .74 and I get called by top and bottom pair and by top pair/T kicker. Rake a record setting $7.14 pot.
9 hands. $4.92 of sugar. $88.73 overall.
Doesn't take long to walk into a monster, maybe not a perfect storm but definitely a major squall. There is a limper, min-raiser, and two callers ahead of me with SB and BB behind me so I am getting nearly the pot odds to set mine with my two nickels and it's not going to take much action post flop implied odds to work out. Q75 rainbow. I heart sets! AND I'm in position. Half pot bet, call, call, to me and I pot it. Lose one but keep two others. J on the turn and it's checked to me so I shove for my remaining .74 and I get called by top and bottom pair and by top pair/T kicker. Rake a record setting $7.14 pot.
9 hands. $4.92 of sugar. $88.73 overall.
Dec 15 short session - two hit and runs
Got invited to a party this morning and paid $2.40 to attend.
Seat 3 couldn't wait to play Hold'em roulette. Haven't seen this guy rebuy yet so I don't know how long he's going to be hosting and I have to balance hand strength versus time. Again, very much akin to late stage tournament play where you have a limited amount of hands to take a stand. I find AhJh and feel it is good enough. For some reason I flat call the BB and wait for him to push even though he has been putting it in each hand even if someone shoves on him. In between us I collect a guy that pots it. Aggro shoves, I shove, middle guy shoves. Each of us are suited, AJ vs A2 vs K2. Not bad. I have one guy dominated and they are each taking one of each other's outs. Don't like that K hanging out there though. Q85 rainbow flop...gooooood. T on the turn makes a badugi. Then a terrorizing K on the river has me shaking my head that aggro-donk caught his live card until the chips start getting swept my way and I thought I just won the side pot but then the main pot comes my way too. Ahhh, K gives me a broadway straight. Yeah, I knew that.
So I'm ready to pack it in after almost 20 hands played but then I pick up AdKd on the other table. I pot it with one caller. Flop is good news (K high) and bad news (spade, spade, spade). I pot it again, call. Turn comes a Qd and I shove. Bad buy has As and a Q for a pair and the nut flush draw. River is a beautiful blank and I cash in on the other table too.
19 hands $5.24 of sugar. $83.81 is a new peak.
Seat 3 couldn't wait to play Hold'em roulette. Haven't seen this guy rebuy yet so I don't know how long he's going to be hosting and I have to balance hand strength versus time. Again, very much akin to late stage tournament play where you have a limited amount of hands to take a stand. I find AhJh and feel it is good enough. For some reason I flat call the BB and wait for him to push even though he has been putting it in each hand even if someone shoves on him. In between us I collect a guy that pots it. Aggro shoves, I shove, middle guy shoves. Each of us are suited, AJ vs A2 vs K2. Not bad. I have one guy dominated and they are each taking one of each other's outs. Don't like that K hanging out there though. Q85 rainbow flop...gooooood. T on the turn makes a badugi. Then a terrorizing K on the river has me shaking my head that aggro-donk caught his live card until the chips start getting swept my way and I thought I just won the side pot but then the main pot comes my way too. Ahhh, K gives me a broadway straight. Yeah, I knew that.
So I'm ready to pack it in after almost 20 hands played but then I pick up AdKd on the other table. I pot it with one caller. Flop is good news (K high) and bad news (spade, spade, spade). I pot it again, call. Turn comes a Qd and I shove. Bad buy has As and a Q for a pair and the nut flush draw. River is a beautiful blank and I cash in on the other table too.
19 hands $5.24 of sugar. $83.81 is a new peak.
Friday, December 14, 2007
December 14
Came into a pot with an open ender on a paired board. Stabbed from the button. One caller. I'm done with this hand. Check check the turn. Check the river an he shoves. Only mistake there was I somehow bet too much. Thought I clicked the pot button but it was an overbet.
Pot it with KdQd, short stack all in call with 89 I flop TPSK and he flops second pair. He sucks out a 9 on the turn but I resuck out a D flush on the riv.
Flopped trip A from the SB with A5os. Ended up getting it in on the turn with a J on board knowing that even if I'm beat there are a ton of chop outs. Catch a J on the river to chop with AT.
Came in with 9T suited and hit top pair on T74 board two suited. I pot it, one caller, then an overshove. I fold since my book on showed that they open shoved with KK so I figure them for the goods. Shows 74 for bottom two but gets counterfeited to running deuces by a worse T than mine. In my ROT free world that was a good fold.
AhKh vs QQ. I flop the nut flush and that's all she wrote.
AcJc. Pot it preflop and hit top/top. Pot it, rake it.
I'm "scoreboard watching" which I think is a bad thing. Right now I am just under my buy in and it is affecting my decisions. Must stop that.
Chopped a pot with AK vs AK though I was four to the club flush on the turn and freerolling. I barely pull in a few cents despite an intermediate caller. Ouch. As the saying goes...Cake wins.
I'm in the BB with AKos and table full of limpers ahead of me. I shove for my buck and change and get one caller from short stack holding 88 I flop two overs and a gut shot then river a K to felt him.
.66 profit for the 91 hands. $78.57 total and creeping back up to my peak. I will target $80 this weekend.
Pot it with KdQd, short stack all in call with 89 I flop TPSK and he flops second pair. He sucks out a 9 on the turn but I resuck out a D flush on the riv.
Flopped trip A from the SB with A5os. Ended up getting it in on the turn with a J on board knowing that even if I'm beat there are a ton of chop outs. Catch a J on the river to chop with AT.
Came in with 9T suited and hit top pair on T74 board two suited. I pot it, one caller, then an overshove. I fold since my book on showed that they open shoved with KK so I figure them for the goods. Shows 74 for bottom two but gets counterfeited to running deuces by a worse T than mine. In my ROT free world that was a good fold.
AhKh vs QQ. I flop the nut flush and that's all she wrote.
AcJc. Pot it preflop and hit top/top. Pot it, rake it.
I'm "scoreboard watching" which I think is a bad thing. Right now I am just under my buy in and it is affecting my decisions. Must stop that.
Chopped a pot with AK vs AK though I was four to the club flush on the turn and freerolling. I barely pull in a few cents despite an intermediate caller. Ouch. As the saying goes...Cake wins.
I'm in the BB with AKos and table full of limpers ahead of me. I shove for my buck and change and get one caller from short stack holding 88 I flop two overs and a gut shot then river a K to felt him.
.66 profit for the 91 hands. $78.57 total and creeping back up to my peak. I will target $80 this weekend.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Dec 13 evening
Quick session. Dipping the fishing line into three tables. Pot pre-flop with AQ. Flop comes Q high but all hearts of which I have zero. I pot it and get a min-raise. Don't know what to make of it for sure and I call. Turn is a blank and I just decide that the chances are too good that I'm up against a donk so I shove and get called by A high and an 8 of hearts. He spikes his 8 on the river but it's not enough. Double up and I run away. Cash out of the other tables too.
19 hands. $2.04 of sugar for the session. Roll is up to $77.91 now. Still shy of my high water mark that I came down from after that KKKQQ suckout but I'm still doubling up my stack way more times than I'm getting felted.
19 hands. $2.04 of sugar for the session. Roll is up to $77.91 now. Still shy of my high water mark that I came down from after that KKKQQ suckout but I'm still doubling up my stack way more times than I'm getting felted.
Dec 13th unlucky at one table
Three tabling it now. Still early I guess because there is only one available at first but more added on later. Normal game plan.
Pretty card dead but I pick up AcQc and pot it. Get repotted by a guy who just showed down AK the previous hand but I have no book on him other than that. I decide to see a flop which comes QQT which is a pretty good flop for my hand. I'm losing to TT and QT but I'll take my chances and proceed with the hand. I'm out of position and check to the aggressor. He shoves and I insta call. Blank on the turn but the river puts me in my place for coming in light to the hand.
I really wish that there were more players because the other tables are short handed which means I need to keep switching tables more quickly. It also means there are not enough other hands to bury that suckout with other hands and instead that hand stands out as a downturn.
100 hands -$3.28. $75.87 total roll.
Pretty card dead but I pick up AcQc and pot it. Get repotted by a guy who just showed down AK the previous hand but I have no book on him other than that. I decide to see a flop which comes QQT which is a pretty good flop for my hand. I'm losing to TT and QT but I'll take my chances and proceed with the hand. I'm out of position and check to the aggressor. He shoves and I insta call. Blank on the turn but the river puts me in my place for coming in light to the hand.
I really wish that there were more players because the other tables are short handed which means I need to keep switching tables more quickly. It also means there are not enough other hands to bury that suckout with other hands and instead that hand stands out as a downturn.
100 hands -$3.28. $75.87 total roll.
There is a guy throwing a party. He's up to $44 on a .02/.04 table. Mostly staying out of his way because I don't have cards to go to battle with. I could have shoved with AKos but just potted pre and then folded.
Caught AA on one table and doubled up.
Treaded water on another table.
Shoved with AKos on the party table. Board double pairs QQ and 44 and A high is good enough to triple up.
This guy has had a Jeh-like run. Actually he's now up to 52 bucks. Unreal run of cards/luck. He and another guy are in a pissing match to see who can donk faster.
I take my triple up and run.
Cash out of three tables for $4.66, $2.26, and $5.23 to take me up to $79.15 overall. Blew straight through 50% sugar and am pressing on 60%.
Caught AA on one table and doubled up.
Treaded water on another table.
Shoved with AKos on the party table. Board double pairs QQ and 44 and A high is good enough to triple up.
This guy has had a Jeh-like run. Actually he's now up to 52 bucks. Unreal run of cards/luck. He and another guy are in a pissing match to see who can donk faster.
I take my triple up and run.
Cash out of three tables for $4.66, $2.26, and $5.23 to take me up to $79.15 overall. Blew straight through 50% sugar and am pressing on 60%.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
De-nit then re-nit
Decided to return to the tables right after my last give it all/take it all session. I found myself widening my range to include limping with medium suited connectors and thought that was going in the wrong direction. Instead of loosening up my game, I felt that I should open more tables to take the place of "boredom calls." so for the first time I go three tables and tighten up my range again. This feels comfortable and I got in a rhythm immediately. Reminds me of my former career on the play money tables.
Pick up QQ vs TT when we both flop overpairs to the board, ka-ching!
Raise with AK and bet top pair top kicker.
Hit top pair J with QJ and stack a guy who shoved with a gutter. My notes said he comes in way light so I wasn't worried about kicker. In fact I overshoved because there was another caller in between us and I didn't want him to muddy the works.
52 hands across three tables. $4.68 in profit brings me up to $74.20.
Pick up QQ vs TT when we both flop overpairs to the board, ka-ching!
Raise with AK and bet top pair top kicker.
Hit top pair J with QJ and stack a guy who shoved with a gutter. My notes said he comes in way light so I wasn't worried about kicker. In fact I overshoved because there was another caller in between us and I didn't want him to muddy the works.
52 hands across three tables. $4.68 in profit brings me up to $74.20.
Two impersonations
Here is my impression of Oliver Hudson. I got that hand for posting my BB. At least I was ahead until I was committed. "First hand...first hand!" What do they say? Don't go broke in a limped pot?
And then just to make up for getting suckout out on, I do my Royal impression and return the favor on another table. Flop a set and get all in action from two others and at these tables, a push can be anything from the nuts to complete cheese. I figure at least one of them for a draw and another for a pair or two. Instead someone has the nut straight. Ooops. Well the nice thing about sets is that you have redraws...hey look, it's the paired board fairy! Hello, paired board fairy! Glad you could make it. He let me get there.
Nice thing about buying in for $2.40 at these stakes is never having to say "fold."
13 hands, obviously 12 at the other table, for a grand total of one red cent sugar. Brings me up to 59 bucks and sixty TWO cents now.
And then just to make up for getting suckout out on, I do my Royal impression and return the favor on another table. Flop a set and get all in action from two others and at these tables, a push can be anything from the nuts to complete cheese. I figure at least one of them for a draw and another for a pair or two. Instead someone has the nut straight. Ooops. Well the nice thing about sets is that you have redraws...hey look, it's the paired board fairy! Hello, paired board fairy! Glad you could make it. He let me get there.
Nice thing about buying in for $2.40 at these stakes is never having to say "fold."
13 hands, obviously 12 at the other table, for a grand total of one red cent sugar. Brings me up to 59 bucks and sixty TWO cents now.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Dec 11
Not much to report. Sat down with Ryan.
Called a short stack shove with my AK being behind KK.
Chopped a pot with Ryan when we both had AQ.
Chopped with anther guy when we both had AK (I was sooooted).
Got healthy when my JJ went up against two AQ hands and it all got in pre. Turned a set for good measure.
AA took down blinds.
.33 of sugar. $69.51 with 40% sugar in sight.
Called a short stack shove with my AK being behind KK.
Chopped a pot with Ryan when we both had AQ.
Chopped with anther guy when we both had AK (I was sooooted).
Got healthy when my JJ went up against two AQ hands and it all got in pre. Turned a set for good measure.
AA took down blinds.
.33 of sugar. $69.51 with 40% sugar in sight.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Due East
Two tables x $2.40.
Btw, I'm buying myself a monitor for Xmas so I can play multiple tables more easily.
Microvariance. Down three cents. Was going to cash out before the blinds hit me but got nabbed by a BB and missed keeping my red cent of sugar
Sit down to the left of "Drunko" who is loose with his sub $2 chip stack and I plan to stack him...nevermind someone else beat me to it.
Having an extended string of face/trash hands.
Q5os in BB. Flop top. Bet 1/2 pot, call. Turn trips. Bet 1/2 pot, call. K on river. Bet 1/2 pot and get min-raised. Call it and we chop. I don't like that situation. I guess I can check/call instead but that's pretty weak. Tough to fold trips to minor action.
Raise with KdQd. Short stack shoves for not much more. One other caller checks through all streets. Shover had AQ and they hold.
Added small pockets to my range if I can come in for a limp and presumed 5:1 odds or better preflop.
QsKs, pot it and take down blinds and a limper.
Flop trip Queens in BB pot flop, pot turn and take down .80 pot.
Last orbit. Pick up JJ and pot it. Take down blinds and limpers.
88 limp. Checks all streets until I hit my set on a dry board. Bet pot with A and K out there. Folds.
That's it. I'm at $69.18. Think I need to be more aggressive with the day crew. Kinda nitty in general from what I can tell.
Btw, I'm buying myself a monitor for Xmas so I can play multiple tables more easily.
Microvariance. Down three cents. Was going to cash out before the blinds hit me but got nabbed by a BB and missed keeping my red cent of sugar
Sit down to the left of "Drunko" who is loose with his sub $2 chip stack and I plan to stack him...nevermind someone else beat me to it.
Having an extended string of face/trash hands.
Q5os in BB. Flop top. Bet 1/2 pot, call. Turn trips. Bet 1/2 pot, call. K on river. Bet 1/2 pot and get min-raised. Call it and we chop. I don't like that situation. I guess I can check/call instead but that's pretty weak. Tough to fold trips to minor action.
Raise with KdQd. Short stack shoves for not much more. One other caller checks through all streets. Shover had AQ and they hold.
Added small pockets to my range if I can come in for a limp and presumed 5:1 odds or better preflop.
QsKs, pot it and take down blinds and a limper.
Flop trip Queens in BB pot flop, pot turn and take down .80 pot.
Last orbit. Pick up JJ and pot it. Take down blinds and limpers.
88 limp. Checks all streets until I hit my set on a dry board. Bet pot with A and K out there. Folds.
That's it. I'm at $69.18. Think I need to be more aggressive with the day crew. Kinda nitty in general from what I can tell.
December 10
The usual. 2 tables at $2.40 each.
Pick up KJos in the SB. I don't want to raise in that spot because I really don't think I would shake off any of the four limpers and don't want to fight with that hand. I limp for the .02 and just figure I can see a flop for cheap and could always make the nuts and not have to worry about it. Flop comes T high and it checks all the way through until I make my broadway straight for the pure nuts. I'm in EP and I'm sure that some will stab. Sure enough I get a bet and a raise in front of me. It is .14 and .28 in front of me and I put in a raise to $1 which I immediately regret since it is uncallable except from someone chopping with me. Then I think someone whow was slow playing a flopped set might pay it. Dunno. Anyway, no callers.
Pick up QQ on the button with a bunch of limpers. Once again I'm stuck trying to figure out how much to raise to thin out the pack without getting a cascade of callers. I make it .80 and take blinds/limps. Difficult position.
46 hands. .48 to the good. No double up so just a little sugar. Back up to $69.21.
Pick up KJos in the SB. I don't want to raise in that spot because I really don't think I would shake off any of the four limpers and don't want to fight with that hand. I limp for the .02 and just figure I can see a flop for cheap and could always make the nuts and not have to worry about it. Flop comes T high and it checks all the way through until I make my broadway straight for the pure nuts. I'm in EP and I'm sure that some will stab. Sure enough I get a bet and a raise in front of me. It is .14 and .28 in front of me and I put in a raise to $1 which I immediately regret since it is uncallable except from someone chopping with me. Then I think someone whow was slow playing a flopped set might pay it. Dunno. Anyway, no callers.
Pick up QQ on the button with a bunch of limpers. Once again I'm stuck trying to figure out how much to raise to thin out the pack without getting a cascade of callers. I make it .80 and take blinds/limps. Difficult position.
46 hands. .48 to the good. No double up so just a little sugar. Back up to $69.21.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
A small step back
$2.40 at two tables.
AA UTG and I pot it. Two callers. Q high flop and I pot it again. Take down pot.
Saw a flop with KcQc. Swing and a miss.
Pick up 99 and there was a min-raise to .08 and a re-raise to .30 ahead of me. I hate the situation because I can't tell how powerful the re-raise is to .30 because some dick min'ed ahead of him. I instinctively call since 99 was in my range but I regret it immediately because there I feel like I am up against an overpair and there is essentially no flop I will feel safe with...ummm...except flopping top freakin' SET! A bait bet from the player ahead of me and I am now positive that they have an overpair. I shove before a scare card comes and get insta-called by KK. I am heavily favored and then get slapped down by a K on the turn and just for good mmeasure a K on the river as well to insure that I don't call light again!
Flattened on one table and leave short on the other. I am satisified I got the money in way good, add the Sklansky bucks to the bank and stand up from the tables. 51 hands. Down $2.68 to $68.73.
AA UTG and I pot it. Two callers. Q high flop and I pot it again. Take down pot.
Saw a flop with KcQc. Swing and a miss.
Pick up 99 and there was a min-raise to .08 and a re-raise to .30 ahead of me. I hate the situation because I can't tell how powerful the re-raise is to .30 because some dick min'ed ahead of him. I instinctively call since 99 was in my range but I regret it immediately because there I feel like I am up against an overpair and there is essentially no flop I will feel safe with...ummm...except flopping top freakin' SET! A bait bet from the player ahead of me and I am now positive that they have an overpair. I shove before a scare card comes and get insta-called by KK. I am heavily favored and then get slapped down by a K on the turn and just for good mmeasure a K on the river as well to insure that I don't call light again!
Flattened on one table and leave short on the other. I am satisified I got the money in way good, add the Sklansky bucks to the bank and stand up from the tables. 51 hands. Down $2.68 to $68.73.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
December 8
Sat down at two tables with the standard $2.40.
Win with A high in the BB in a walk on all streets. Strong play.
Bet pot with AKos and take down blinds and a limper.
Call min raise with KJos and flop a J. I have targeted Seat 3 as the player who is going to give me money and he does not fail. I pot the flop and shove on the turn and he calls all the way with second pair.
Other table I pot bet with JJ, one customer who flops top pair T with his 8Tos and calls my pot bet on the flop and my shove on the turn.
36 hands, cash out for $9.12. Standing at $71.41 now.
Win with A high in the BB in a walk on all streets. Strong play.
Bet pot with AKos and take down blinds and a limper.
Call min raise with KJos and flop a J. I have targeted Seat 3 as the player who is going to give me money and he does not fail. I pot the flop and shove on the turn and he calls all the way with second pair.
Other table I pot bet with JJ, one customer who flops top pair T with his 8Tos and calls my pot bet on the flop and my shove on the turn.
36 hands, cash out for $9.12. Standing at $71.41 now.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Three table tourney
Pay $1 + .10 for a three table tourney since there is no cash game table readily available.
First hand I pick up KK in late position and it folds around to me so I shove hoping that either the button, SB, or BB is a donk enough to call my shove wanting to gamble or have a decent hand and think that I'm donking. No customers but I take the blinds. I decide to show my cards. Then the BB chimes in with a comment in the chat about how I got the absolute least value from my good hands. And before I can reply to his comment he calls off his stack to a pre-flop shove holding KdQd, everyone's favorite dominated hand. He flops a Q but it is WAY behind the QQ of the guy that shoved in front of him. Ahhhh...timing is everything. Oh wait, damn, it was the SB who called, not the guy who commented. Well that's not nearly as interesting. Bah!
Now I'm just posting blinds waiting for something playable. Blinds not worth stealing yet.
I have outlasted 5 players out of 30. If 20 more players go out ahead of me then I make the money.
24 players and the guy that I was targeting to trap because of his massive overbets has been moved to another table before I can take notes on him.
Down to 2 tables now, 20 people. Still haven't played another hand.
Limp with KJos. Big stack raises to 4x BB. I fold.
I get dealt KK AGAIN. Has it been 220 hands? This time I'm in EP and I gamble that it is worth waiting for big stack to try bullying the table again so I limp and of course big stack folds and it limps the rest of the way around the table. Uh oh. Oh look, I flopped top set. Two spades on board and I get a pot sized bet ahead of me. I again slow play and flat call knowing that someone behind me might shove with a spade draw, case king, or just to try to steal a sizable pot. Figure I might get another caller also. No other customers. A relative blank on the turn and the other guys shoves. Instacall and it was actually set over set and I double up.
Shortly thereafter I get AcKc and again decide to limp. Bunch of callers and the flop comes AKJ. Great flop. I am ahead of a ton of hands that are going to give me mad action and only realistically behind any moron playing QT. I pot it and get raised back. I cannot get away from it and go ahead and push and am instacalled by, you guessed it, QT. Oh well, I have outs. King on the turn. King on the river and my quads with ace kicker are good...as is my kings full. Oh and the guy I eliminated WAS the one who made the comment about wasting my good hands. Oh the irony.
Now I get AsKs and I pot it. One caller. Flop trip aces. Pot it and he folds.
11 players now and I'm closing in. Third place in chips.
Min raise with KQos. Flop comes ace high. Checks all the way through and king high is good enough.
9 players now. Fifth in chips.
Wow pocket fours just pushed on a flop that they had no part of and got called by top two. Rivered a four. Ugly but it eliminates another player.
8 players. Fifth in chips.
Called a min raise with AQos. Nothing.
Freakin AA! Couple of limpers. I raise to 10xBB no callers. I show.
7 players. Still 5th.
Call min raise with KJos. Ace high and I fold to a half pot bet.
We're on break now.
Payouts are 12/7.20/4.80/3.60/2.40. I'm looking to stack one more player between now and going out which should get to about third/fourth place money. Then I'll switch gears and see how high I can climb the ladder.
I played 10 out of 63 hands. Won 3/3 showdowns.
Back from break now.
Limp/call min with QJ os. Flopped second pair on KQ high board. Make min bet. Call. Turn an open ender with a T. Min bet. Call. Blank on river. Min bet. Now I'm third in chips.
Ouch. My JJ vs TT and AQ. Fine through fourth street and I'm a huge favorite to nearly triple up. Ace on the river.
I'm now on the bubble and have only about 5 times the blinds. Fold KhTh and Ah6s to raises in front of me. But am rewarded with AcQc on the button. Get called by QdJd and we both flop our non-Q cards. Double up but am still 6th.
Short stack pushes and I make a crying call with KsJs knowing full well that I'm probably behind an ace but am getting reasonable odds. Hit my J and welcome to the money.
I've now locked up 4th place money minimum and am 2nd in chips.
I get a walk in the BB with a club Muncie.
I'm looking to wait out short stack to lock in 3rd. I call his all in with 88 and get another caller. Flop top set on dangerous board so I push. Other player folds. I take him out and we are three handed now.
Dancing around each other. Playing small ball.
Sorry, no time to blog shorthanded.
Hey, 1st place! $12 for two hours of work. Nice. Brings total up to $67.09.
177 hands. Other stats are irrelevant shorthanded.
First hand I pick up KK in late position and it folds around to me so I shove hoping that either the button, SB, or BB is a donk enough to call my shove wanting to gamble or have a decent hand and think that I'm donking. No customers but I take the blinds. I decide to show my cards. Then the BB chimes in with a comment in the chat about how I got the absolute least value from my good hands. And before I can reply to his comment he calls off his stack to a pre-flop shove holding KdQd, everyone's favorite dominated hand. He flops a Q but it is WAY behind the QQ of the guy that shoved in front of him. Ahhhh...timing is everything. Oh wait, damn, it was the SB who called, not the guy who commented. Well that's not nearly as interesting. Bah!
Now I'm just posting blinds waiting for something playable. Blinds not worth stealing yet.
I have outlasted 5 players out of 30. If 20 more players go out ahead of me then I make the money.
24 players and the guy that I was targeting to trap because of his massive overbets has been moved to another table before I can take notes on him.
Down to 2 tables now, 20 people. Still haven't played another hand.
Limp with KJos. Big stack raises to 4x BB. I fold.
I get dealt KK AGAIN. Has it been 220 hands? This time I'm in EP and I gamble that it is worth waiting for big stack to try bullying the table again so I limp and of course big stack folds and it limps the rest of the way around the table. Uh oh. Oh look, I flopped top set. Two spades on board and I get a pot sized bet ahead of me. I again slow play and flat call knowing that someone behind me might shove with a spade draw, case king, or just to try to steal a sizable pot. Figure I might get another caller also. No other customers. A relative blank on the turn and the other guys shoves. Instacall and it was actually set over set and I double up.
Shortly thereafter I get AcKc and again decide to limp. Bunch of callers and the flop comes AKJ. Great flop. I am ahead of a ton of hands that are going to give me mad action and only realistically behind any moron playing QT. I pot it and get raised back. I cannot get away from it and go ahead and push and am instacalled by, you guessed it, QT. Oh well, I have outs. King on the turn. King on the river and my quads with ace kicker are good...as is my kings full. Oh and the guy I eliminated WAS the one who made the comment about wasting my good hands. Oh the irony.
Now I get AsKs and I pot it. One caller. Flop trip aces. Pot it and he folds.
11 players now and I'm closing in. Third place in chips.
Min raise with KQos. Flop comes ace high. Checks all the way through and king high is good enough.
9 players now. Fifth in chips.
Wow pocket fours just pushed on a flop that they had no part of and got called by top two. Rivered a four. Ugly but it eliminates another player.
8 players. Fifth in chips.
Called a min raise with AQos. Nothing.
Freakin AA! Couple of limpers. I raise to 10xBB no callers. I show.
7 players. Still 5th.
Call min raise with KJos. Ace high and I fold to a half pot bet.
We're on break now.
Payouts are 12/7.20/4.80/3.60/2.40. I'm looking to stack one more player between now and going out which should get to about third/fourth place money. Then I'll switch gears and see how high I can climb the ladder.
I played 10 out of 63 hands. Won 3/3 showdowns.
Back from break now.
Limp/call min with QJ os. Flopped second pair on KQ high board. Make min bet. Call. Turn an open ender with a T. Min bet. Call. Blank on river. Min bet. Now I'm third in chips.
Ouch. My JJ vs TT and AQ. Fine through fourth street and I'm a huge favorite to nearly triple up. Ace on the river.
I'm now on the bubble and have only about 5 times the blinds. Fold KhTh and Ah6s to raises in front of me. But am rewarded with AcQc on the button. Get called by QdJd and we both flop our non-Q cards. Double up but am still 6th.
Short stack pushes and I make a crying call with KsJs knowing full well that I'm probably behind an ace but am getting reasonable odds. Hit my J and welcome to the money.
I've now locked up 4th place money minimum and am 2nd in chips.
I get a walk in the BB with a club Muncie.
I'm looking to wait out short stack to lock in 3rd. I call his all in with 88 and get another caller. Flop top set on dangerous board so I push. Other player folds. I take him out and we are three handed now.
Dancing around each other. Playing small ball.
Sorry, no time to blog shorthanded.
Hey, 1st place! $12 for two hours of work. Nice. Brings total up to $67.09.
177 hands. Other stats are irrelevant shorthanded.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Double the fun
Today was my first foray into doing multi. I had two tables and bought in for 2.40 on both. Overall the play was pretty decent during the day. Nobody throwing a party, nobody super aggro. There was one stabber throwing out min bets here or there but that was about it. Seems like everyone was either super nit or trappy based on the amount of smooth calls with big pairs. Noted. Now the hands:
* Limp AdJd nothing
* JcTc turned flush. I pot it and get a flat call. Board double pairs on river and the flopped boat nut low boat checks behind.
* Call a raise with AQos. Nothing.
* Called a reraise to .30 with 99. Guy had AA. I didn't pay anyting post flop.
* Pick up 99 on the other table and punish limpers, take down some blinds.
* AJos pot it and fold to low all club board.
* So easy. I pick up a real junker 46os in the BB and have the "fold to any bet button on" and go to the other table. I flop bottom two and get a walk all the way to the river including from the SB who paid .02 and hit top pair on the flop!?
* Raise with TT Jack high flop, stab and raise in front of me, bye bye.
* AA EP pot it to .14 one caller. 55Q flop and I bet it, flat call. Uh oh, hope he doesn't have a 5. Turn is A and I boat up...PLEASE have a 5! I pot it again, shove, insta-call and he shows the case A with J kicker and he's drawing dead. $3.83 pot.
* I pot with AJos. Checks all streets and it holds!
* TT flat called by QQ. I pot a 9 high flop, Jh puts third heart on the board and it checks the rest of the way.
* Whoop whoop whoop. Deviation alert! KTos both tables. Limped. Flopped an AJ gutter on BOTH tables at the same time. Paid .04 to chase on one. (WRONG!) STick to game plan. Didn't cost me big at least.
* AQos and I pot it pre-flop. One caller. Flop is ThJh8d. Villain tosss out a cbet feeling bet of .20. It is last orbit and I have slight -itis. I figure I have two overs and a gut shot but after looking at it after the hand I actually had a double gutter. Call. Turn is a 9 and I have second nut straight that I'm willing to go with. Bet to me, I raise enough to put him all in. Called by K7 for sucker end of straight and gutter to higher straight. $3.47. Ship it.
Played 10 out of 110 hands which is about on schedule. Now at $56.19 and more than 10% up.
* Limp AdJd nothing
* JcTc turned flush. I pot it and get a flat call. Board double pairs on river and the flopped boat nut low boat checks behind.
* Call a raise with AQos. Nothing.
* Called a reraise to .30 with 99. Guy had AA. I didn't pay anyting post flop.
* Pick up 99 on the other table and punish limpers, take down some blinds.
* AJos pot it and fold to low all club board.
* So easy. I pick up a real junker 46os in the BB and have the "fold to any bet button on" and go to the other table. I flop bottom two and get a walk all the way to the river including from the SB who paid .02 and hit top pair on the flop!?
* Raise with TT Jack high flop, stab and raise in front of me, bye bye.
* AA EP pot it to .14 one caller. 55Q flop and I bet it, flat call. Uh oh, hope he doesn't have a 5. Turn is A and I boat up...PLEASE have a 5! I pot it again, shove, insta-call and he shows the case A with J kicker and he's drawing dead. $3.83 pot.
* I pot with AJos. Checks all streets and it holds!
* TT flat called by QQ. I pot a 9 high flop, Jh puts third heart on the board and it checks the rest of the way.
* Whoop whoop whoop. Deviation alert! KTos both tables. Limped. Flopped an AJ gutter on BOTH tables at the same time. Paid .04 to chase on one. (WRONG!) STick to game plan. Didn't cost me big at least.
* AQos and I pot it pre-flop. One caller. Flop is ThJh8d. Villain tosss out a cbet feeling bet of .20. It is last orbit and I have slight -itis. I figure I have two overs and a gut shot but after looking at it after the hand I actually had a double gutter. Call. Turn is a 9 and I have second nut straight that I'm willing to go with. Bet to me, I raise enough to put him all in. Called by K7 for sucker end of straight and gutter to higher straight. $3.47. Ship it.
Played 10 out of 110 hands which is about on schedule. Now at $56.19 and more than 10% up.
Nutty Nuts
Sit down with the usual $2.40. Played 3/8 hands.
* Called an additional .02 in SB with As7s. Nothing.
* Picked up AA in late position. Ton of limpers too me and I say "screw it" to trying to right size a bet to isolate and just make it a buck straight figuring someone is going to have their favorite hand. No customers. I'm fine with that. Show my cards to the table to cement my nit image to anyone who cares or is paying attention.
* Limp with QJ os. Flop an open ender and get a walk to the turn which brings an ace and Broadway and a second club. Bet, call, call in front of me and I'm not screwing around so I pot it. One caller. Blank on the riv and I push for my last .78. Call. I take down a $5.51 pot then run away.
$54.64.
* Called an additional .02 in SB with As7s. Nothing.
* Picked up AA in late position. Ton of limpers too me and I say "screw it" to trying to right size a bet to isolate and just make it a buck straight figuring someone is going to have their favorite hand. No customers. I'm fine with that. Show my cards to the table to cement my nit image to anyone who cares or is paying attention.
* Limp with QJ os. Flop an open ender and get a walk to the turn which brings an ace and Broadway and a second club. Bet, call, call in front of me and I'm not screwing around so I pot it. One caller. Blank on the riv and I push for my last .78. Call. I take down a $5.51 pot then run away.
$54.64.
Good cards, bad boards
Bought in for the usual 2.40 and saw 25 hands:
AsKs - blanked the flop, folded to a bet
AQos - blanked
AQos - Again! on the very next flop, blanked the flop, paid .04 to see another card, blanked and folded
JsKs - Nothing
AJos - on the buton. Hit an ace and shoved. Only win this session.
AKos - hit K on the river but gave another player a straight
AsTs - Nothing
Cashed out for .20.
AsKs - blanked the flop, folded to a bet
AQos - blanked
AQos - Again! on the very next flop, blanked the flop, paid .04 to see another card, blanked and folded
JsKs - Nothing
AJos - on the buton. Hit an ace and shoved. Only win this session.
AKos - hit K on the river but gave another player a straight
AsTs - Nothing
Cashed out for .20.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Hit and run to take me up to $54.01
I'm at a table with a guy throwing a party sitting to his immediate right either shoving or call/shoving most every hand. I guess that's the best spot because I should know if anyone else has a hand. He is donking off with what appears to be any hand with a Q or higher from what I could see. People take their turns taking money from this guy then someone shoves with TT and party guy picks up KK and they hold.
I end up with AJos in late position and I flat call the rest of the table and I don't know yet if I am willing to call off my stack with that hand against the maniac. Maniac flat calls behind me. Flop comes Jack high and I pot it. Get two calls. Turn pairs the low card and I shove for the rest of my stack, one guy calls with JdTd and my hand holds. That takes my stack to $4.60 and I again elect to leave the table with my spoils.
I'm now at $54.01 and have started a trench between my current roll and my original stake. Losing a 5% buy in cannot dig into my starter money. Now on to getting 10% up and to dig a deeper trench.
I end up with AJos in late position and I flat call the rest of the table and I don't know yet if I am willing to call off my stack with that hand against the maniac. Maniac flat calls behind me. Flop comes Jack high and I pot it. Get two calls. Turn pairs the low card and I shove for the rest of my stack, one guy calls with JdTd and my hand holds. That takes my stack to $4.60 and I again elect to leave the table with my spoils.
I'm now at $54.01 and have started a trench between my current roll and my original stake. Losing a 5% buy in cannot dig into my starter money. Now on to getting 10% up and to dig a deeper trench.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sugar!
Sat down with the default $2.40. Saw a flop with JsQs which had been raised to .12. Didn't mean to call a raised pot, meant to limp but oh well. Flop comes out A high and get a 1/2 pot bet from a stabbing machine. I feel he doesn't have an A and that I can bet him off but I don't bother. Muck.
Few hands later I again find QJ suited, this time in H. Many handed to the flop which comes an open ender. Enough in the pot that I call then turn a flush draw to go with the open ender and at that point I think I'm calling anything. A guy check/shoves and I end up calling off another .74. River comes an Ace and I have the nuts. Guy in front of me checks and I shove in case he has two pair that he can't get away from. In this game I think that is the right move instead of trying to value him for a little. No call and I rake a $3.21 pot. That brings me up to $51.81 and I end a session with sugar for the first time. Good trend and I'm hoping to never have to touch my original stake any more.
Few hands later I again find QJ suited, this time in H. Many handed to the flop which comes an open ender. Enough in the pot that I call then turn a flush draw to go with the open ender and at that point I think I'm calling anything. A guy check/shoves and I end up calling off another .74. River comes an Ace and I have the nuts. Guy in front of me checks and I shove in case he has two pair that he can't get away from. In this game I think that is the right move instead of trying to value him for a little. No call and I rake a $3.21 pot. That brings me up to $51.81 and I end a session with sugar for the first time. Good trend and I'm hoping to never have to touch my original stake any more.
2nd place in single table sit and go
Decided to sit down and try a tourney. $1 + .20. Not crazy about the rake but I knew I had a set cost and I believe that sit and go's are EV+ for me. Had decent starting hands at first but nothing hit. Got knocked down and doubled up when I caught KK. Table got down to six handed and then it got ardurous. Had to fight and claw to keep my stack. Chose my spots very carefully. Key hand was when Seat 3 limped in...hmmm...suspicious. I picked up 99 and shoved. Seat 3 shows KK. I river a 9 and get healthy. Table gets down to four handed (top three pay) and the two players on either side of the dealer kept swapping chips back and forth. Finally one of them busted and I made it to the money. Took out 3rd place when my AJ held up. Then it was back and forth with Seat 10. I finally bluffed off my chips representing the flush when they had a boat. Oh well. Cashed out for $3 to net $1.80. Lot of work for $1.80 but at least it was fixed cost. Up to $49.82 and just shy of original bankroll.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Card dead
Raised once in 59 hands with KK which flopped a set and I needed every bit of it as my opponent (AJos) hit two pair. Also completed the SB with AJos which totally missed. All told ran $2.36 up to $3.07 for a total of 48.02.
Don't go broke with no pair
Bought in for $2.48.
Hand 1
Raise to .20 with AKos, swing and a miss on the flop. Checked around to the button who pushes. One call from loose player. Shover had top and bottom pair. Loosey had mid pair and catches higher two pair on the turn.
Hand 2
Same loose player who called off stack with mid pair and called off stack with KJos on another hand shoves preflop. I have AKos and call. He has Aces and they hold up. Big difference between Loosey calling off stack and shoving I guess. Lesson learned.
Hand 1
Raise to .20 with AKos, swing and a miss on the flop. Checked around to the button who pushes. One call from loose player. Shover had top and bottom pair. Loosey had mid pair and catches higher two pair on the turn.
Hand 2
Same loose player who called off stack with mid pair and called off stack with KJos on another hand shoves preflop. I have AKos and call. He has Aces and they hold up. Big difference between Loosey calling off stack and shoving I guess. Lesson learned.
Session 3 - Almost back to even
Bought in for $2.36 to adhere to the 5% rule. Short session. 22 hands and entered three hands voluntarily, played five overall.
Hand 1
I post my BB and pick up my trouble hand in return. The pot is unraised to I see the flop with QdTh and end up catching top pair decent kicker in late position. It checks to me and I through out a pot sized bet, one caller. Turn blanks and it checks to me again and I make it half pot now, called. Check on the river and I check behind. I'm pretty sure I was up against Q with worse kicker and could have valued something on the end but wanted to go conservative since I didn't want to get involved in the hand in the first place. Take down a $1.15 pot which brings me up to $2.97. Not bad for a blind hand.
Hand 2
Pick up K6os in BB. Q high flop checks around. K comes on the turn and it checks around again. River is a J and one guy throws out a pot-ish sized bet. Turns out they had Q6os and beat the one caller. What do you do with hitting the board with a marginal hand that you inherit?
Hand 3
Raise with JJ and of course collect a Q and a K on the flop. Checked to me, bet it? I check behind. Min bet on the turn. I call. Big bet on the river and I think that someone figures their Qx is good or they may have been slow playing QK. I'm not beating much though the min bet feeler followed by a big bet smells like a steal. I fold.
Hand 4
I have Royal's 3d6d in the BB and see the entire board for free. Chop a 14 cent pot with another 3x when we both pair the river for bottom pair insignificant kicker. Ship it! Or...ship half of it!
Hand 5
Raise preflop with 99 and get two callers. Flop comes out 8 high and two hearts. A check to me, I bet pot, and the person behind me ships all in for $1.98. Fold in front of me and the overbet smells like a draw though I honestly have no idea what they have. Could easily be a set as well protecting against a draw. 67 would make nut straight. I think it is a "go away" bet and I call. They show AKos and 99 holds up to take down a $4.34 pot.
I am close enough to the 10% threshold that I want to cash out. That takes me up to $49.79 and I'm almost breaking even.
Hand 1
I post my BB and pick up my trouble hand in return. The pot is unraised to I see the flop with QdTh and end up catching top pair decent kicker in late position. It checks to me and I through out a pot sized bet, one caller. Turn blanks and it checks to me again and I make it half pot now, called. Check on the river and I check behind. I'm pretty sure I was up against Q with worse kicker and could have valued something on the end but wanted to go conservative since I didn't want to get involved in the hand in the first place. Take down a $1.15 pot which brings me up to $2.97. Not bad for a blind hand.
Hand 2
Pick up K6os in BB. Q high flop checks around. K comes on the turn and it checks around again. River is a J and one guy throws out a pot-ish sized bet. Turns out they had Q6os and beat the one caller. What do you do with hitting the board with a marginal hand that you inherit?
Hand 3
Raise with JJ and of course collect a Q and a K on the flop. Checked to me, bet it? I check behind. Min bet on the turn. I call. Big bet on the river and I think that someone figures their Qx is good or they may have been slow playing QK. I'm not beating much though the min bet feeler followed by a big bet smells like a steal. I fold.
Hand 4
I have Royal's 3d6d in the BB and see the entire board for free. Chop a 14 cent pot with another 3x when we both pair the river for bottom pair insignificant kicker. Ship it! Or...ship half of it!
Hand 5
Raise preflop with 99 and get two callers. Flop comes out 8 high and two hearts. A check to me, I bet pot, and the person behind me ships all in for $1.98. Fold in front of me and the overbet smells like a draw though I honestly have no idea what they have. Could easily be a set as well protecting against a draw. 67 would make nut straight. I think it is a "go away" bet and I call. They show AKos and 99 holds up to take down a $4.34 pot.
I am close enough to the 10% threshold that I want to cash out. That takes me up to $49.79 and I'm almost breaking even.
Session 2 - Didn't lose as much
I've been surprised. The play at .02/.04 has so far been pretty reasonable. Maybe even a little nitty. Maybe it is just the tables I've been at. Either way, nice to see that the play is reasonable.
Bought in for 2.38 to keep to 5% of my roll. Sat down and saw a juicy KhTh but it's not on the list so I fold it to a raise. Flop comes out TTA. ROT tells me "bad fold" but I'm not worried about it.
Other hands that I want to see a flop with but fold are 66, 33, Qs9s, Ad9d, 7s8s. Starting off conservative. Maybe a little too conservative. Still just feeling things out. For now my range is AA-88, AKs-ATs, AKo-AQo, KQs, KQo, QJs, JTs. I'm trying to limit my hands to 10% and have chosen that range.
I was a little card dead and only got involved in eight hands out of 100. Too nitty?
Hand 1: Took down blinds with QQ.
Hand 2: Raise with AA, someone shoves with AKos, folds around to me and I call. AA holds up.
Hand 3: I raise it up with TT. Flop comes out A high and get an instashove so I let it go.
Hand 4: KK takes down blinds.
Hand 5: AJos limped on button. Swing and a miss and I fold.
Hand 6: Probably worst play right here. I raise with 99. Flop comes out 777 and I get a feeler-ish bet from the caller. I min-raise to get more information. I think that TT or better would bet stronger or have raised pre-flop. Flat call from Villain. Ace on the turn and a shove. I fold to what I figure is AK, AQ.
Hand 7: Raise with AKos and it checks all the way through and I take down a sweetened pot.
Hand 8: Limped in on the cutoff with JdTd but folded to a button raise to .20.
Cashed out for $2.01. Current balance: $47.29.
Bought in for 2.38 to keep to 5% of my roll. Sat down and saw a juicy KhTh but it's not on the list so I fold it to a raise. Flop comes out TTA. ROT tells me "bad fold" but I'm not worried about it.
Other hands that I want to see a flop with but fold are 66, 33, Qs9s, Ad9d, 7s8s. Starting off conservative. Maybe a little too conservative. Still just feeling things out. For now my range is AA-88, AKs-ATs, AKo-AQo, KQs, KQo, QJs, JTs. I'm trying to limit my hands to 10% and have chosen that range.
I was a little card dead and only got involved in eight hands out of 100. Too nitty?
Hand 1: Took down blinds with QQ.
Hand 2: Raise with AA, someone shoves with AKos, folds around to me and I call. AA holds up.
Hand 3: I raise it up with TT. Flop comes out A high and get an instashove so I let it go.
Hand 4: KK takes down blinds.
Hand 5: AJos limped on button. Swing and a miss and I fold.
Hand 6: Probably worst play right here. I raise with 99. Flop comes out 777 and I get a feeler-ish bet from the caller. I min-raise to get more information. I think that TT or better would bet stronger or have raised pre-flop. Flat call from Villain. Ace on the turn and a shove. I fold to what I figure is AK, AQ.
Hand 7: Raise with AKos and it checks all the way through and I take down a sweetened pot.
Hand 8: Limped in on the cutoff with JdTd but folded to a button raise to .20.
Cashed out for $2.01. Current balance: $47.29.
Session 1 - Diving in
I had been lurking around the tables for a number of days, sitting down then immediately standing up, watching play, checking out notes. I finally decided that not playing is just a bit TOO tight so today I took the plunge.
First hand EVER
I sit down in the empty seat with $2.50 or exactly 5% of my roll and let the blinds pass me. I auto-post and put in my four cents in the cutoff seat and what do I get dealt? The mother of all hands...an awesome Qd5d. I'm ready to take this to the mat but then some idiot pops it to .38 and I feel like I'm behind. As tempting as it was I fold that little gem. Would have rivered a full house but that's being a little ROTty. Actually the guy that raised would have made a better full house with his AA. Good fold.
I remind myself that it is decisions that matter, not results. I had position and I was suited for that elusive extra 3% but every bet that I save counts as much as a bet that I win. I am being very conscious of this while safeguarding my bankroll.
I would say that I'm batting 1.000 on decisions and my Cake career is off to a roaring start.
AQos
My second hand I get 2h5d which I fold (sorry Marsh). Third hand is 4hJc. Fold that one too. I'm getting a little impatient and wonder if I should open up my range of hands that I'll play. Then FINALLY on my fourth hand I get something I can see a flop with. Two limpers ahead of me but I am was so busy grabbing the hand history from my first big hand that I am rushed and confused. All I recall seeing was what seemed like half the table in the hand (actually only four at that point including SB and BB) and without a clear plan of action I decide to just limp. Based on the average pot size and the action I observed while watching the table I feel that it is a "friendly" table and if I hit the flop that I can take it down. Flop comes 6hJc6s and I check/fold. If I had my wits about me I would have raised/check/folded. ROTty to say that I was right to have just limped and saved money. Bad decision but I'll write this one off to the panic of the situation and being in unfamiliar territory.
That hand takes my bankroll down to $49.92 and I am feeling a little uneasy but I'm ready to buckle in for the long haul and the eight cents that I'm down is not going to be significant in the grand scheme of things. Onward!
Card dead
I diligently fold crap hands. Blinds pass me and takes my stack down to $2.36. I feel like I'm going to get blinded into oblivion playing this tight but I know the cards will even out in the end.
Sugar!
Finally, an entire orbit later, I pick up AsKc. From my observations of the table I find that .18 is the going rate for a raise at this table and I open for that amount. Folds around to the BB who calls the extra .14. Flop comes Ah8d4h and it's checked to me. There is .38 in the pot and the BB only has .73 left. If I bet the pot, we are both committed at that point and I'm not going to give a free card so I go ahead and push. He folds and my stack is $2.56 and my overall bankroll is $50.06! That's over 1/10th of a percent increase!
AcJh
Not sure about this one. I'm SB for .02 and there's a min-raise from the button. AJos is a decent hand but I don't want to raise with it in that situation so I flat call and see a flop. Flop comes T high and I check/fold to what turns out to be top set.
The big hand of the session
Very next hand I get dealt two black aces on the button. Does it get much better than that? Two limpers ahead of me so I pop it to .22 this time to try to deny "me too" callers coming in for pot odds. Two callers. Flop is 4d5cTd, the SB bets pot, fold from the third player. I'm hoping the bet is coming from AT or JJ maybe but honestly I have no idea what he has but I know that I'm beating just about all hands so I raise to $2.00. He shoves for .06 more and I'm priced in. He shows AdKd for the nut flush and a whole lot fewer outs than he thought he had I'm sure. Turn pairs the T which gives him one less out but the river is a 6d and my stack is taken down to 16 cents.
I lick my wounds and step away from the table knowing that I was 62% on that flop. I have no temptation to flush away my last pocket change. That's almost three orbits of blinds and is the same as winning a small pot so back into the bankroll that goes.
Final damage: down to $47.66 or off almost 5% of my bankroll. Not the way I wanted the first session to go but I got the money in good. Going to take a break and come back ready for next time.
First hand EVER
I sit down in the empty seat with $2.50 or exactly 5% of my roll and let the blinds pass me. I auto-post and put in my four cents in the cutoff seat and what do I get dealt? The mother of all hands...an awesome Qd5d. I'm ready to take this to the mat but then some idiot pops it to .38 and I feel like I'm behind. As tempting as it was I fold that little gem. Would have rivered a full house but that's being a little ROTty. Actually the guy that raised would have made a better full house with his AA. Good fold.
I remind myself that it is decisions that matter, not results. I had position and I was suited for that elusive extra 3% but every bet that I save counts as much as a bet that I win. I am being very conscious of this while safeguarding my bankroll.
I would say that I'm batting 1.000 on decisions and my Cake career is off to a roaring start.
AQos
My second hand I get 2h5d which I fold (sorry Marsh). Third hand is 4hJc. Fold that one too. I'm getting a little impatient and wonder if I should open up my range of hands that I'll play. Then FINALLY on my fourth hand I get something I can see a flop with. Two limpers ahead of me but I am was so busy grabbing the hand history from my first big hand that I am rushed and confused. All I recall seeing was what seemed like half the table in the hand (actually only four at that point including SB and BB) and without a clear plan of action I decide to just limp. Based on the average pot size and the action I observed while watching the table I feel that it is a "friendly" table and if I hit the flop that I can take it down. Flop comes 6hJc6s and I check/fold. If I had my wits about me I would have raised/check/folded. ROTty to say that I was right to have just limped and saved money. Bad decision but I'll write this one off to the panic of the situation and being in unfamiliar territory.
That hand takes my bankroll down to $49.92 and I am feeling a little uneasy but I'm ready to buckle in for the long haul and the eight cents that I'm down is not going to be significant in the grand scheme of things. Onward!
Card dead
I diligently fold crap hands. Blinds pass me and takes my stack down to $2.36. I feel like I'm going to get blinded into oblivion playing this tight but I know the cards will even out in the end.
Sugar!
Finally, an entire orbit later, I pick up AsKc. From my observations of the table I find that .18 is the going rate for a raise at this table and I open for that amount. Folds around to the BB who calls the extra .14. Flop comes Ah8d4h and it's checked to me. There is .38 in the pot and the BB only has .73 left. If I bet the pot, we are both committed at that point and I'm not going to give a free card so I go ahead and push. He folds and my stack is $2.56 and my overall bankroll is $50.06! That's over 1/10th of a percent increase!
AcJh
Not sure about this one. I'm SB for .02 and there's a min-raise from the button. AJos is a decent hand but I don't want to raise with it in that situation so I flat call and see a flop. Flop comes T high and I check/fold to what turns out to be top set.
The big hand of the session
Very next hand I get dealt two black aces on the button. Does it get much better than that? Two limpers ahead of me so I pop it to .22 this time to try to deny "me too" callers coming in for pot odds. Two callers. Flop is 4d5cTd, the SB bets pot, fold from the third player. I'm hoping the bet is coming from AT or JJ maybe but honestly I have no idea what he has but I know that I'm beating just about all hands so I raise to $2.00. He shoves for .06 more and I'm priced in. He shows AdKd for the nut flush and a whole lot fewer outs than he thought he had I'm sure. Turn pairs the T which gives him one less out but the river is a 6d and my stack is taken down to 16 cents.
I lick my wounds and step away from the table knowing that I was 62% on that flop. I have no temptation to flush away my last pocket change. That's almost three orbits of blinds and is the same as winning a small pot so back into the bankroll that goes.
Final damage: down to $47.66 or off almost 5% of my bankroll. Not the way I wanted the first session to go but I got the money in good. Going to take a break and come back ready for next time.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Here we go...
Hello everyone. This is my blog to track the progress on my True Cake Challenge.
I am starting with $50 and will parlay that amount into ever increasing amounts through skill, experience, know-how, luck, and some help from my friends. But the key tool that will help me succeed is going to be proper bankroll management. I will be basing my bankroll managment guidelines on those of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson who has previously parlayed $1 into over $20,000 and as an encore he then started with zero and has taken that to over $25,000.
Thesse are the rules that I am going to use to manage my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a cash game to 5% of my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a single table sit and go to 2% of my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a multi-table tournament to 1% of my bankroll.
* Never have more than 10% of my bankroll at risk on one hand.
* If I slip 10% below my high water mark then I must immediately stop playing for at least 10 hours as a cooling off period so that I can make sure that I am playing with a clear head.
* If I slip 15% below my high water mark then I must move down in stakes until I reach my high water mark again.
As with Chris Ferguson's rules, there will be exceptions for micro-stakes in that I will be always be able to buy into the smallest games regardless of bankroll. I will also review these rules and tweak them as necessary.
I am starting with $50 and will parlay that amount into ever increasing amounts through skill, experience, know-how, luck, and some help from my friends. But the key tool that will help me succeed is going to be proper bankroll management. I will be basing my bankroll managment guidelines on those of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson who has previously parlayed $1 into over $20,000 and as an encore he then started with zero and has taken that to over $25,000.
Thesse are the rules that I am going to use to manage my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a cash game to 5% of my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a single table sit and go to 2% of my bankroll.
* Limit the buy-in to a multi-table tournament to 1% of my bankroll.
* Never have more than 10% of my bankroll at risk on one hand.
* If I slip 10% below my high water mark then I must immediately stop playing for at least 10 hours as a cooling off period so that I can make sure that I am playing with a clear head.
* If I slip 15% below my high water mark then I must move down in stakes until I reach my high water mark again.
As with Chris Ferguson's rules, there will be exceptions for micro-stakes in that I will be always be able to buy into the smallest games regardless of bankroll. I will also review these rules and tweak them as necessary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)